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National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

(Encyclopedia)National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), organization composed mainly of American blacks, but with many white members, whose goal is the end of racial discrimination and seg...

confession

(Encyclopedia)confession, in law, the formal admission of criminal guilt, usually obtained in the course of examination by the police or prosecutor or at trial. For a confession to be admissible as evidence against...

Clouet, Jean

(Encyclopedia)Clouet, Jean both: zhänĕˈ [key], c.1485–1540, portrait and miniature painter. He was court painter and valet de chambre to the French king Francis I. He is thought to have been Flemish and may ha...

My Lai incident

(Encyclopedia)My Lai incident mē lī [key], a massacre of Vietnamese civilians by U.S. soldiers in the Vietnam War. On Mar. 16, 1968, a unit of the U.S. army's Americal division, led by Lt. William L. Calley, inva...

Callot, Jacques

(Encyclopedia)Callot, Jacques zhäk kälōˈ [key], c.1592–1635, French etcher and engraver, b. Nancy. Callot was an influential innovator and a brilliant observer of his time. In 1612 he went to Florence where h...

William of Wykeham

(Encyclopedia)William of Wykeham or William of Wickham both: wĭˈkəm [key], 1324–1404, English prelate and lord chancellor. He is thought to have been the son of a serf. Entering the service of the royal court ...

Tenure of Office Act

(Encyclopedia)Tenure of Office Act, in U.S. history, measure passed on Mar. 2, 1867, by Congress over the veto of President Andrew Johnson; it forbade the President to remove any federal officeholder appointed by a...

Ensenada, Zenón de Somodevilla, marqués de la

(Encyclopedia)Ensenada, Zenón de Somodevilla, marqués de la thānōnˈ dā sōmōᵺāvēˈlyä märkāsˈ dā lä ānsānäˈᵺä [key], 1702–81, Spanish statesman. He was created (1736) marquis for his part ...

Iredell, James

(Encyclopedia)Iredell, James īrˈdĕl [key], 1751–99, American jurist, b. Lewes, England. He emigrated (1767) to North Carolina, where he entered the customs service at Edenton and was made (1774) collector for ...

Ingersoll, Jared, American jurist

(Encyclopedia)Ingersoll, Jared, 1749–1822, American jurist, b. New Haven, Conn.; son of Jared Ingersoll (1722–81) and father of Charles Jared Ingersoll. After studying law in England, he was admitted (1773) to ...