Please join us as Professor Means shares from her book, Robed Representatives: How Black Judges Advocate in American Courts, published by Stanford University Press in February 2026.

In Robed Representatives, Prof. Means offers new insights into the lives, identity politics, and actions of Black state court judges. The narratives centered in the book reveal an identity-to-politics link that exists among Black judges that lead them to represent their group interests. This link is corroborated with data that highlights numerous previously unidentified manifestations of racial representation in the legal system. Prof. Means demonstrates that only through exploration of the lives, identities, and behaviors of historically underrepresented judges will it be possible to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of the importance—and limitations—of racial diversity in the courts.

Add to Google Calendar. Please join us for refreshments after the talk.

The Featuring Faculty series presented by Vassar College Libraries, is designed to showcase research, scholarship, and projects by Vassar faculty. If you would like to participate in a future Featuring Faculty event, please email Deb Bucher and Elizabeth Salmon.

This event is free and open to the public.