The law is a manifestation of something beyond itself, a witness to something greater, a guide to some historical destiny.”
- Harold J. Berman
A Brief History
The arc that The Arc has travelled
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A: January 29, 2018, officially. But the idea started back in 2012 on a sixth-grade filed trip.
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A: The Arc began with one simple thought. Our founder Derrick Alexander Pope had an idea to develop a cultural exhibit that would pay tribute to the heroic and vital contribution lawyers and judges made to the civil rights movement. The idea gained traction as part of a working group within the State Bar of Georgia Committee to Promote Inclusion in the Profession. In 2017, Vernon E. Jordan was named National Honorary Chairman for the initiative, and he continued in this role until his passing in 2021.
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A: We established Hidden Legal Figures: Conversations with the Unsung as a way to promote the exhibit, and we began our partnership with the law schools throughout Georgia, who served as hosts for these programs. The following year, we created Hidden Legal Figures: The Podcast, and in our first year we were rated in the top 20 of historical podcasts by BuzzFeed.
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A: Yes, but the pandemic disrupted our plans. Like everything and everyone else, we were forced to pause, but we used that time to consider what more we wanted to do and be. We still have plans for the cultural exhibit, but we are weaving together a new thread to the idea.
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A: We are continuing the podcast, but we have plans to add a visual medium; something like, but not quite, a documentary. The Ex+Change is our signature ideas symposium, which will make its debut in 2026, and we are developing a legal fellowship program as a component of what we intend to grow out of the symposium.
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A: From the familiar quote, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Most people know the quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but it is actually from an 1853 book of sermons by Theodore Parker. The actual guote is “I do not pretend to understand the moral universe; the arc is a long one, my eye reaches but little ways; I cannot calculate the curve and complete the figure by the experience of sight, I can divine it by conscience."
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A: It starts with the quote by Harold J. Berman. That thought-provoking description explains how we think about the particular theme of justice, and it reveals the approach to everything that we do. It makes us a vessel to demonstrate that something beyond, to prepare its witnesses, and to train its guides. With this quite particular dynamic, it is easy to understand why we say The Arc of Justice is a response to a call.
Our mission and guiding principles
Our mission
The Arc of Justice Foundation is a public educational institution with a mission to foster a greater understanding of the rule of law where governance, economics, and rights intersect. We carry out our mission through programs and initiatives that focus on the rule of law, protection of rights, and civic and cultural decency. We center our work around the past triumphs, the present challenges, and the future hopes that speak to these concerns. From this, we are able to facilitate meaningful civic engagement, and achieve a broadened, intergenerational understanding of the American legal system.
We believe the rule of law is an indispensable element to a vital society. Therefore, we provide initiatives designed to orient the public on the role of the legal system in protecting rights.
We believe there is a dimension to law that makes its purpose as much sacred as it is secular. Therefore, we actively promote select initiatives that accentuate the law as a healing apparatus.
We believe the legal profession is a rewarding and noble vocation. Therefore, we diligently promote a consciousness of service within the legal business environment.
THE ARC OF JUSTICE TEAM
A great crew is what keeps any vessel afloat and able to sail in all types of waters. The Arc has a first-rate crew of staff, volunteers, and partners.
The Governing Crew: The Arc of Justice Board
Hon. Athena Malloy Groves, Associate Judge, Orphans Court, Prince Georges County, Maryland
Kirkland A. McGhee, Vice President & Regional Counsel, Kaiser Foundation HealthPlan
Derrick Alexander Pope, J.D., President and Managing Director
Vernon Jordan, National Honorary Chair (2017 - 2021) (Emeritus, in memoriam)
The Symposium Planning Crew
Deborah Chapman, Pro Bono Support Manager, State Bar of Georgia
Chivonne Hyppolite, Owner, Abstract Elements Corporate Meetings & Events
Rev. William Frazier, Assistant Minister, The Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church
Kirkland A. McGhee, Vice President & Regional Counsel, Kaiser Foundation HealthPlan
Darcy McLean, Senior Pro Bono & Community Engagement Manager
Ashley Silverman, CEO, DreamTank Consultancy
Jeff Wolfe, Director of the Center for Executive Education, Stetson-Hatcher School of Business, Mercer University
The Podcast Crew
Derrick Alexander Pope, J.D., Host and Executive Producer
Terrass “Razz” Misher, Supervising Producer
Mia Mance, Communications
Marvin Cummings, Voice Talent
Saundra M. Davis, Esq., Voice Talent
Kerwin D. Sims, Voice Talent
The Exhibit Content Crew
Karcheik Sims-Alvarado, Ph.D.
Velma Fann
Charles S. Johnson, III, Esq.
Lester Johnson, Esq.
Derreck Kayongo
Jill Savitt, CEO, National Center for Civil and Human Rights