The American Bar Association has joined with the Library of Congress and its Law Library to present a special traveling exhibit commemorating the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta. The Florida Supreme Court will co-host the exhibit which runs from Feb. 15-26.
The exhibit features 16 banners, 13 of which reflect spectacular images of Magna Carta and precious manuscripts, books and other documents from the Library of Congress' rare book collections. It traces the influence of Magna Carta and how it came to be recognized as the foundation of modern democracy, beginning with the meeting of King John and the English barons at Runnymeade Meadow, where the "Great Charter" was signed eight centuries ago. The exhibit curator at the Library of Congress provides detailed information about selected books and documents in a companion video.
The ABA Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress unveiled "Magna Carta: Enduring Legacy 1215-2015" at the ABA Annual Meeting in Boston in August 2014. It is designed to raise awareness of the historical document cherished by lawyers, judges and historians as a central symbol of the rule of law that loomed very large in the minds of the leaders who founded the United States of America and to highlight treasures held by the Library and its Law Library.
The exhibit will appear in the rotunda of the Florida Supreme Court, 500 S Duval St, Tallahassee, FL 32399 from February15-26th. It is free of charge and will be open to the public Monday-Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Government-issued identification is required to enter the building, and no weapons or items that can be used as a weapon are permitted. All visitors will go through security screening.
The principles found in Magna Carta played a fundamental role in establishing the supremacy of the law in our constitutional, democratic society, including concepts embraced by the Founding Fathers in the Bill of Rights. The importance of Magna Carta to American laws and freedoms was highlighted at the ABA Annual Meeting as Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr. spoke of its significance. "When we talk about Magna Carta today, we're not celebrating antiquated relics of a time long past," he said. "Instead, we are referring to a small collection of provisions that express kernels of transcendent significance."
For information about hosting the ABA Magna Carta Traveling Exhibit, contact Elissa Lichtenstein at elissa.lichtenstein@americanbar.org.
For further information about ABA's "Magna Carta: Enduring Legacy 1215-2015," visit http://ambar.org/mctravelingexhibit
Published: Thu, Feb 18, 2016
