We’re proud to announce that our collaborative project Brown v. Board of Education Revisited has been recognized with the American Bar Association’s prestigious 2025 Silver Gavel Award. This multimedia experience, developed through a partnership between Spooler, Northwestern University Knight Lab, Respeecher, and Idib Group, demonstrates how technology can transform our connection to pivotal historical moments.

Reimagining Legal History Through AI Voices

Our team set out to solve a compelling challenge: how to make a complex Supreme Court case from nearly 70 years ago feel immediate and relevant to today’s audiences. The solution combined advanced voice synthesis with interactive digital storytelling.

Using Respeecher’s voice recreation technology, we’ve enabled users to hear the verbatim deliberations of the Brown v. Board case in the voices of Thurgood Marshall, Chief Justice Earl Warren, and Justice Felix Frankfurter. This marks the first time these historical figures’ actual words can be heard in their original voices, creating an unprecedented level of historical immersion.

The user experience extends beyond audio through a thoughtfully designed interactive interface from Idib Group that provides contextual materials, primary sources, and visual elements. The result is a multi-layered educational resource that maintains historical accuracy while delivering an engaging user experience.

A Collaboration Across Disciplines and Borders

The project represents a unique collaboration between academic expertise and media innovation:

• Academic foundation: Jerry Goldman (professor emeritus at Northwestern and founder of Oyez.org) and Joe Germuska (executive director at Knight Lab) provided scholarly oversight and historical authentication
• Narrative architecture: The Spooler team (Andy Bowers, Kerry Donahue, and CK Hicks) developed the storytelling framework and audio production
• User experience design: Francesco Stagno d’Alcontres and his Sicilian design firm team at Idib Group created the interactive digital components.
• Voice technology: Kyiv-based Respeecher applied its synthetic speech capabilities to faithfully recreate historical voices
• Voice talent: Dion Graham and former NPR correspondent Karen Grigsby Bates delivered additional narration

Building Deeper Understanding Through Innovation

“What makes this project significant is the intersection of rigorous historical research with accessible storytelling techniques,” notes Andy Bowers, our chief creative officer. “We’ve demonstrated that emerging technologies can serve a meaningful educational purpose when applied thoughtfully.”

Professor Jerry Goldman adds: “‘Brown v. Board Revisited’ shows how we can use modern tools to help a new generation engage with both the achievements and unfinished work of this landmark case.”

The project exemplifies our ongoing commitment to developing innovative approaches to educational content that make complex information more accessible without sacrificing depth or accuracy.

We invite you to explore the complete experience at https://brown.oyez.org/.

The ABA will present the Silver Gavel Award at its annual ceremony in Toronto on August 5, 2025. We’re currently exploring how to apply similar approaches to other significant legal and historical moments.

What would you like to see reimagined through this technology next? Let us know!