This course provides a rigorous and critical examination of how legal systems shape and are shaped by broader societal forces. Focusing on civil rights, social movements, and legal frameworks, students will explore how laws have been used both to uphold and to challenge racial inequality in the United States. Drawing on Washington, D.C.'s status as home to all three branches of the federal government, the course incorporates experiential learning opportunities such as visits to Congress and the Supreme Court. Students will analyze court cases, legislation, and legal theory to evaluate the power and limits of law in advancing social justice. Through comparative readings and applied assignments, the course culminates in student research presentations and analytical writing projects.