In this episode of Ellis Conversations, co-host Jamil Ellis sits down again with his father, retired federal magistrate Judge Ronald Ellis, to mark Loving Day — the anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, the 1967 Supreme Court case that struck down bans on interracial marriage.

What starts as a reflection on Loving Day quickly becomes a powerful and wide-ranging discussion about:

• How distorted historical narratives fuel today's rollback of civil rights
• Why anti-DEI forces rely on historical erasure
• The forgotten legal barriers against women
• The dangerous nostalgia embedded in the "Make America Great Again" slogan
• A look at Project 2025, the Federalist Society, and how today's Supreme Court is targeting many of the Warren Court's civil rights decisions

From All in the Family to Sidney Poitier, from welfare state debates to voting rights, Judge Ellis breaks down the legal and cultural legacy at stake.

• Loving v. Virginia (1967)
  https://www.oyez.org/cases/1966/395

• Warren Court Key Decisions
  Brown v. Board (1954): https://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1955/347us483
  Gideon v. Wainwright (1963): https://www.oyez.org/cases/1962/155
  Miranda v. Arizona (1966): https://www.oyez.org/cases/1965/759
  Griswold v. Connecticut (1965): https://www.oyez.org/cases/1964/496
  Engel v. Vitale (1962): https://www.oyez.org/cases/1961/468
  Tinker v. Des Moines (1969): https://www.oyez.org/cases/1968/21

• Project 2025: https://www.project2025.org

• Federalist Society: https://fedsoc.org

• All In The Family theme reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_in_the_Family

The hosts discuss how desegregation under Brown was hampered in schools by a policy of "all deliberate speed" where the speed was often zero. In contrast, and despite the fact that in large portions of the nation education is separate and unequal, the Trump administration has begun an "all speed ahead" policy of eliminating decrees which contained desegregation requirements'.

https://www.axios.com/2025/05/02/doj-decades-old-school-desegregation-louisiana

In this episode of Ellis Conversations, co-host Jamil Ellis and his father, retired federal magistrate Judge Ronald Ellis, reflect on the 71st anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education—not just the 1954 decision, but its overlooked 1955 follow-up. They explore the legal and societal impacts of desegregation mandates, the resistance that followed, and how today's rollback of civil rights enforcement—particularly around school desegregation—echoes familiar patterns.

With real-life stories, including Ruby Bridges and Prince Edward County's school closures, the conversation traces decades of policy evolution—from Milliken v. Bradley to Roberts Court rulings that undermine systemic remedies for segregation. The episode also offers generational perspectives on optimism, protest, and the need for youth leadership in safeguarding educational equity.

👉 If you're concerned about the dismantling of civil rights protections in education and policing—or wondering how to equip young people to carry the legacy forward—this one's for you.

• Brown v. Board of Education (1954 & 1955 decisions)
  https://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1955/347us483
  https://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1955/349us294

• Milliken v. Bradley (1974)
  https://www.oyez.org/cases/1973/73-434

• Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 (2007)
  https://www.oyez.org/cases/2006/05-908

• Ruby Bridges Foundation
  https://rubybridges.foundation

• Shelby County v. Holder (2013 Voting Rights Act decision)
  https://www.oyez.org/cases/2012/12-96

• American Psychological Association – Implicit Bias
  https://www.apa.org/ed/university/implicit-bias

• The Heritage Foundation's "Project 2025" (mentioned indirectly)
  https://www.project2025.org

In this episode, the hosts discuss Project 2025 and its potential impact in a Donald Trump administration.