Exhibits

The Freedom Suits Exhibit

Join us to see The Freedom Suits, an exhibit created for the Law Library Association by the Missouri State Archives.  This exhibit returns to the Law Library Association on June 2, 2025 after a prior showing in the fall of 2024.

Approximately 400 lawsuits by enslaved people suing for their freedom were filed in Missouri. At least one third of them were successful. This is a remarkable statistic given that African American enslaved people were not allowed to appear in court and testify in their own lawsuits.  

The Freedom Suits exhibit includes rarely-seen court pleadings of three different types of claims made by enslaved people seeking their freedom.  The exhibit also will include explanatory panels about Freedom Suits in St. Louis, Freedom Suits in Missouri and a timeline of the Freedom Suits in comparison with other events taking place in the United States in the 1800s.  

Presenting sponsors: 

Law Library Association of St. Louis
                                    
Freedom Suits Memorial Foundation

Additional sponsors: 


Individual sponsors: 

Michael and Laura Ellenhorn
Thomas and Sara Neill

Organizational sponsors:  

AJ Legal Services
Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice
The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
Brown & Jame P.C.
Dowd Bennett LLP
Husch Blackwell
Legal Services of Eastern Missouri

Lexitas
Littler
Thompson Coburn LLP   
                                                


Free and open to the public Monday- Friday 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Contact Gail Wechsler at gwechsler@llastl.org to arrange group tours.                                            


Freedom Suits Exhibit Returns in June

Back by popular demand, the Law Library Association of St. Louis and the Freedom Suits Memorial Foundation are happy to announce that The Freedom Suits exhibit, including historical information about the history of the Freedom Suit lawsuits in Missouri, will be returning to the Law Library. The exhibit will be open on Monday June 2 and will be at the Law Library Association for at least one month. More details on the run of the exhibit and related programming will be coming soon.     

The exhibit will be open to the public Monday-Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. No advance registration will be needed. For information on bringing a group to see the exhibit, contact Library Director Gail Wechsler at gwechsler@llastl.org

Judicial Legacy Project: Honoring Trailblazers in our Courts coming in September

Join the Law Library Association of St. Louis for a special exhibit honoring judges who have served in the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court and other courts in our region. This exhibit was created by the Law Library Association and supported by a grant from the Saint Louis Bar Foundation. Find out more about the exhibit, including sponsorship opportunities at  https://llastl.org/judicial-legacy-exhibit 

Law Library Awarded Grant by St. Louis Bar Foundation

In January, the Law Library Association of St. Louis received a grant from the St. Louis Bar Foundation. This grant will support expansion of the Law Library's Judicial Legacy Project, which involves interviewing distinguished retired judges in our region.

The grant will be used to expand the Project to include more interviews and to create an in-person exhibit honoring eight of the judges already interviewed (or who were the subject of remembrance videos for those who have passed away).

Many thanks to the St. Louis Bar Foundation for this honor.