As minority groups, both Mennonites and African-Americans have struggled with the question of assimilation into American public life and culture. In the course of this struggle, the two groups have come to very different understandings of the role of Constitutional Law: Mennonites have tended to avoid the legal system as a means of advancing their concerns about issues such as conscientious objection, while African-Americans have generally regarded the law as a crucial ally in their quest for justice and equal rights. Though Mennonite attitudes toward law may be changing, these contrasting approaches to politics and the legal order help to explain why African-American Mennonites sometimes feel out of step with traditional understandings of the denomination.

Lee Roy Berry, Jr., Prof. of Political Science at Goshen College and local attorney, will present the lecture, drawing on his experience as an African-American Mennonite and his keen interest in Constitutional Law.

For more information about this lecture read this press release: Lee Roy Berry to lecture on Mennonites, African-Americans and U.S. Constitution April 20.