In honor of Black History Month, please join the Alexandria Bar Association on Thursday, February 12, from 5:30 -7:30 PM at Alexandria's Black History Museum. Our guest speaker is Karen L. Cohen, Esq., daughter of the late Bernard S. “Bernie” Cohen, who as a young, volunteer ACLU attorney, along with co-counsel Philip J. Hirschkop, represented Richard and Mildred Loving in Loving v. Virginia, the landmark 1967 Supreme Court ruling that struck down bans on interracial marriage nationwide.

Karen brings a uniquely personal and powerful perspective to one of the most transformative civil-rights cases in American history. She has become a thoughtful steward of her father’s legacy, sharing the story with law students, bar associations, historical societies, high school students, and others. Drawing from her family’s personal relationship to the case, Karen offers an intimate look at the people, risks, and moral conviction behind the Lovings’ fight for justice.

An attorney herself, Karen weaves together historical context, personal reflection, and legal impact to illuminate why Loving v. Virginia still resonates today—on questions of equality, family, and the ongoing pursuit of civil rights.

You will leave her talk with a deeper understanding not only of the case, but of the families involved, and the courage it took to change the nation.