The Constitutional Law Center provides primary source training, support, and professional development opportunities for South Carolina educators at all levels, and performs in depth research and analysis of a variety of constitutional law topics, with a primary focus surrounding education.
Founded in 2021 and housed at the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law, the Constitutional Law Center is one of four Congressionally funded centers across the United States focusing on constitutional law. The mission of the Center is twofold: to research issues related to constitutional law and to serve educators by supporting them through trainings and individual assistance.
Incorporating the service arm of its mission, the Center provides professional development opportunities related to the Constitution, civics, and other government topics, as well as custom tailored instructional aides and classroom exercises focusing primarily on the utilization of primary sources within the classroom. The Center assists educators from the primary school level through the university level.
Fulfilling the research arm of its mission, the Center investigates and researches a variety of constitutional law topics, predominantly focusing constitutional issues within the education field, and the interplay of Federal and State constitutions in such matters.
Through providing services and conducting in-depth research, the Center aims to develop a more accessible and wider understanding of the Constitution and civics among educators, scholars, and the general public.
Professor and Ernest F. Hollings Chair in Constitutional Law
Director, Constitutional Law Center
Professor Derek Black is one of the nation’s foremost scholars on the intersection of constitutional law and public schools. He has extensive experience training teachers on constitutional law issues through the South Carolina Bar Association and his ongoing work with public schools on civics engagement.
Assistant Director, Constitutlonal Law Center
Taylor Callahan is the Assistant Director of the Constitutional Law Center where she researches issues of constitutional law, specifically education-related issues, and provides professional development, materials, and other resources to educators, districts, and colleges of education across the state.
Fellow, Constitutional Law Center
Holly James serves as the Fellow for the Constitutional Law Center. As Fellow, Holly works closely with educators on primary source research development for use throughout South Carolina schools, colleges, and universities.