The Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution codifies aspects of citizenship, equal protection under the law, and due process of law. This insightful, important examination of the Fourteenth—what it says, how and why it came to be, and the role it has played in cases relating to racial discrimination, gender equity, immigrants’ rights, and LGBTQ rights—is an excellent and accessible look at both history and contemporary issues today. The volume is divided into three main sections titled “The Constitution,” “The Supreme Court,” and “The People.” The author, a lawyer, is comfortable writing about law and about social justice, including the importance of identity as it relates to who is and isn’t in decision-making roles at any given time throughout history. Among the illuminating elements is discussion of the Supreme Court’s impact on how interpretation of the Constitution, including the Fourteenth Amendment, changes depending on who sits on the Supreme Court. This hard-hitting truth underscores connections between the law and politics and has inspired activism to protect rights by other means. Numerous sidebars expand on various concepts and processes in a volume that is detailed but never dry.