Equal Justice Initiative

The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) is a non-profit organization based in Montgomery, Alabama. It helps people who may have been wrongly convicted of crimes, poor people without good legal help, and others who did not get fair trials. EJI makes sure everyone in Alabama gets a strong defense if they face the most serious punishments.

The group was started by Bryan Stevenson, whose important work was shown in the movie Just Mercy. The film is based on his book Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption and tells the story of Walter McMillian and some of Stevenson's other cases.

In 2020, the Equal Justice Initiative won an award called the Webby People's Voice Award for being an excellent charity. This shows how much their work means to many people.

History

The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) was started in 1989 in Montgomery, Alabama, by attorney Bryan Stevenson. He has led the group ever since. EJI helps people who may have been unfairly treated by the justice system, especially those who cannot afford good lawyers.

EJI works to make sure everyone gets a fair chance in court, no matter their situation. They have helped many people, including those who were wrongly accused of serious crimes. In 2018, EJI opened two important places in Montgomery to remember people who were unfairly treated in the past.

EJI has also worked to change laws that affect young people in serious legal trouble, arguing that young people deserve a chance to change and grow. They have helped many young people get fairer sentences. Additionally, EJI has worked to stop unfair punishments and has helped prevent many people from being sentenced to death.

Legacy sites

Legacy Museum

Main article: The Legacy Museum

The Legacy Museum, in Montgomery, Alabama, opened on April 26, 2018. It shows how African Americans were treated after slavery ended. According to the Equal Justice Initiative's head Bryan Stevenson, unfair treatments like sharecropping, Jim Crow laws, mass incarceration, convict leasing, and lynching continued in different forms. The museum helps people understand these important history lessons.

National Memorial for Peace and Justice

Main article: The National Memorial for Peace and Justice

Also opened on April 26, 2018, in Montgomery, this memorial remembers the 4,400 African Americans who were killed between 1877 and 1950. The design shows dark metal columns hanging in the air, with names of counties, dates, and victims. The goal is for each county to take their column and build their own memorial.

Freedom Monument Sculpture Park

Main article: Freedom Monument Sculpture Park

Starting in 2021, the Equal Justice Initiative bought land in Montgomery to build a large wall with the names of over 122,000 families of formerly enslaved African Americans from the 1870 United States census. Visitors can use QR codes to learn more about these families. The park has old buildings from cotton plantations, objects made by enslaved people, and sculptures by famous artists. It opened on March 27, 2024.

Other exhibits

In 2019, the Equal Justice Initiative worked with the Levine Museum of the New South to help prepare an exhibit called "The Legacy of Lynching: Confronting Racial Terror in America". This exhibit aimed to educate people about a very sad part of history and to help everyone understand the importance of fairness and respect.