The Book's Forward
When Andrew Pinney first shared with me the draft of Justice, Courage, and Human Rights, I was delighted and surprised. Andrew has considerable expertise in history and a unique skillset that lends itself to creatively and innovatively bringing curriculum to life for both students and teachers. So, I was delighted but not surprised to hear about the project. I was surprised only by the fact that it took so long for him to share his passion and knowledge in published materials. It has been over twenty years since I sat in a classroom, attentive and excited to hear about the special project. Andrew—my eighth-grade teacher at the time—had prepared to teach us U.S. history from new perspectives. Little did I know that his plan to teach us about history through trial simulation would have a deep impact on the course of my life. One trial that vividly comes to mind is the trial of Henry Wirz, the commander of the Andersonville Prison during the Civil War. I remember getting caught up in the enthusiasm of my fellow students when a friend and I were chosen to be co-counsels for the prosecution. I spent hours in and out of class, poring over the evidence and witness depositions, trying to understand the course of events and how best to present the case to the jury. Equally as important was the time we spent thinking deeply about the defense’s potential case and its strengths and weaknesses. I learned that lesson the hard way from a previous trial, when I was caught unaware during a cross-examination because I did not anticipate how the defense might use a witness’s background to shore up credibility for their case. Although the final outcome was always a dramatic and fun reveal, the true lesson came from learning how to think critically about different perspectives of the same event and the procedural importance of using a trial to suss out truth.
Perhaps it is no surprise to learn that those trials inspired me to become a lawyer whose career focuses on criminal law and a deep engagement with the criminal justice system. Those of us who work in the system know that our highest priority is to ensure that justice is done under the rule of law and not the whims of men. In committing to work in an adversarial trial system, we submit to the idea that the truth is best discovered and justice is done by vigorous advocacy on both sides of the question presented to an impartial arbiter and facilitated by rules designed to promote fairness. The ideals are lofty, but the work is practical, and its consequences involve our most fundamental rights. As I discovered early on in Andrew Pinney’s class, such advocacy requires passion for the facts, attention to detail, empathy for others, and an ability to think critically and to understand events and outcomes from a variety of perspectives. It demands insightful questioning, active listening, and sharp communication. None of these skills are easy to develop, but I certainly received a boost due to one teacher’s commitment to bring history to life for his students.
For me, it is impossible to overstate the importance of Andrew’s endeavor with this book and its potential impact. Our students live in a time where events all over the world are likely to affect their day-to-day activities and inform their civic, political, and economic challenges. Students are also inundated with more information and media than ever before with few guardrails to help them assess truth, falsity, bias, and accuracy. Now, more than ever, it is essential to encourage students to learn universal lessons from other cultures and societies and to jumpstart students’ ability to think critically and empathetically and to communicate effectively with others. These are not lessons easily taught through PowerPoint presentations or even entertaining lectures. Instead, they are best developed through dynamic engagement with materials that bring to life the lofty ideals and fundamental rights we as citizens are tasked with embodying and protecting. The trials selected by Andrew serve not only as examples of some of the most significant events in world history, but also allow students to assess and determine for themselves what justice under the law means in a variety of circumstances outside of their lived experiences. At the same time, students will find themselves actively engaging with and learning history at a macro and individual level with far more interest than rote memorization or mere reading inspires. And maybe, you might find these materials lighting an early fire in the upcoming generations to use their newfound skills to pursue justice wherever their careers take them. It certainly would not surprise me…but I would be delighted.
Allaya Lloyd, Esq., Criminal Attorney
