By: Alex Temple, ARB Archivist

The University of Cincinnati Archives & Rare Books Library is very fortunate to have received a large collection of the work of civil rights lawyer Al Gerhardstein. The collection represents nearly 40 years of cases supporting a broad spectrum of civil rights work.  Gerhardstein began his career in litigation in 1976, working for the Legal Aid Society of Cincinnati, supporting equitable access to legal counsel for low-income people.  Two years later, he joined Robert Laufman in practice  opposing employment discrimination, police misconduct, and championing prisoners’ rights. His work snowballed from helping individuals finding their rights in the legal system to a legacy of fighting for systemic change in support of civil rights on a national level.  The collection’s focus includes, women’s reproductive rights, prisoners’ rights, LGBT rights, and addressing police misconduct. Continue reading →