Peter H. Irons

Peter Irons is a political activist, civil rights attorney, legal scholar, and professor of political science. He emarked on his current path in 1963 when he was issued a 3 year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut for refusing military induction. It was while serving his sentence as Inmate No. 21341 that he became associated with another famous activist, Howard Zinn. He wrote to Zinn, who kindly wrote back, sending him books on civil liberties and American politics.

Related Topics:
Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut - Induction - Howard Zinn

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Irons would go on to complete his doctorate at Boston University in 1973. Aftewards, Dr. Zinn helped arrange for Irons to work at a law firm defending Daniel Ellsberg, who was under federal prosecution at the time for stealing the Pentagon Papers. His work at the firm would later serve as motivation for him to pursue a law degree from Harvard Law School.

Related Topics:
Daniel Ellsberg - Pentagon Papers

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Upon graduating, he taught at Boston College Law School and the University of Massachusetts before moving to the University of California at San Diego in 1982 where he would establish the Earl Warren Bill of Rights Project. In addition to teaching and authoring several books, he has also helped reopen the wartime internment cases of Fred Korematsu, Min Yasui, and Gordon Hirabayashi.

Related Topics:
Earl Warren Bill of Rights Project - Fred Korematsu - Min Yasui - Gordon Hirabayashi

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He is currently a professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego, and an author on legal history. His Jim Crow's Children won the Silver Gavel Award given by the American Bar Association. He also wrote Justice at War and A People's History of the Supreme Court which was awarded a Silver Gavel Certificate of Merit.

Related Topics:
University of California, San Diego - Silver Gavel Award - American Bar Association

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Irons is currently the director of the Earl Warren Bill of Rights Project.

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