Celebrations on March 14 capping the centennial will feature Joan Benny, daughter of the comedian Jack Benny and an author in her own right. Sara Weld, who is recognized as an attorney, Harvard faculty member and researcher into ancient Chinese law, as well as being Gov. Weld's wife, is honorary chairwoman.

In a ruling that the American Bar Association called "one of the most important immigration decisions in the last quarter-century," the US Supreme Court has said that aliens may challenge in federal court the fairness and constitutionality of the 1986 immigration law.

The farm workers argued that the INS interviews were unfair and in violation of their 14th Amendment due-process rights, citing the failure of the agency to provide them with translators or to prepare transcripts.