A couple days of research has gone by, and we have been here three days now, each filled with long hours of researching through letters, newspaper clippings, and drafts of important Supreme Court Cases. I did not know what to expect going into researching through the Justice papers here at the Madison building, but I did not know it would be as interesting yet exhausting as it has been. For my research project I am looking at the interpretation method of Justice Hugo Black, whether he was an historical or textual originalist and how consistent was his method. The research I have completed has been helpful in answering my question, and I know I will find even more in the coming days.

So far, I have gone through four of my ten cases I will be looking at this week, and each have been filled with many insightful memos and drafts. Researching has been very interesting, reading through drafts and memos of opinions the public only sees the final, that only researchers who come to the Library of Congress can see the behind the scenes.

However, today we took a break from our research to tour the Supreme Court Building. As we waited in the long line to enter the building, Professor Kobylka talked to the security guard out front, and was able to get us in quicker through a side entrance, which felt good – made me feel important. The inside of the Supreme Court was even more breathtaking than the outside. When I walked into the building, I was met with a large statue of Chief Justice John Marshall. It was an exciting moment to see his statue, as he is one of my favorite justices – the work he did to make the Supreme Court the institution it is today, was impactful. After we split into two separate tour groups, our guide took us into the Court Room, which was a beautiful room. It was exciting to be standing where significant court opinions were argued. Once we completed our tour, we had a special opportunity to meet with the Clerk of the Court in the Rehnquist Tea room. I enjoyed listening to the clerk talk about his role with the court, and the many changes the court went through because of COVID-19. After our break touring the Supreme Court, we went back to the Library of Congress to continue our research.

The past few days have been tiring yet insightful, in reading the many drafts and memos of cases. We have three days to continue researching here in the Madison Building. I have realized how much I have completed, and yet I still have many cases to read through to be able to answer my research question. I am looking forward to continuing my research.