Program Work
Landmark: Griggs v. Duke Power Co.
In 1971, the Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling in Griggs v. Duke Power, which transformed our nation’s work places. As a result of LDF’s advocacy, the Supreme Court embraced a powerful legal tool – now known as the “disparate impact” framework...
MoreLewis v. City of Chicago: "The Chicago Firefighters Case"
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In 1995, Chicago administered an entry-level firefighter exam to more than 26,000 applicants. The passing score was 65 out of 100, but against the advice of its own expert...
MoreMagner v. Gallagher
LDF filed an amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief in the United States Supreme Court in Magner v. Gallagher. In Magner, a group of private landlords of low-income housing challenged the City of St. Paul's practice of selectively targeting them for heightened housing code...
NYC School Custodian Employment Discrimination
In United States v. New York City Board of Education, LDF is defending the lawfulness of a 1999 settlement between the Board of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). In 1996, DOJ sued the Board of Education for employment discrimination. The evidence...
MoreRoad Home
Following the devastating destruction of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) established a home rebuilding program known as Road Home to get residents back to the region. With $11 billion in...
MoreThompson v. HUD
One of the most important fair housing lawsuits currently pending in the federal courts seeks to eradicate the legacy of racially segregated public housing in Baltimore, Maryland, the hometown of Thurgood Marshall, LDF’s first Director-Counsel. Baltimore’s public housing has...
MoreUnited States of America and Vulcan Society, Inc. v. City of New York
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) is nationally known for its heroic efforts during the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Less well-known is the decades-long struggle African Americans and other minorities have waged to open the FDNY to all men and women regardless of race....
MoreWright v. Stern: NYC Parks Case
In court papers filed in 2001, current and former employees of the New York City Parks Department alleged that African-American and Latino employees Parks workers had been denied equal employment opportunities. As a result of long-term, systemic discrimination throughout the Parks Department...
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