Thurgood Marshall “Mr. Civil Rights” and The First African American Supreme Court Justice.

Thurgood Marshall (1908–1993) was a groundbreaking American civil rights lawyer, judge, and the first African American justice appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. His life and career were marked by a relentless pursuit of justice. Thurgood Marshall was born on July 2, 1908, in Baltimore Maryland. Marshall graduated from Frederick Douglass High School and attended the historically black Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. There he excelled academically, and he would go on to later attend Howard University Law School.

(Thurgood Marshall, then Chief Counsel to the NAACP, speaking to the press on the steps of the Supreme Court. Washington, D.C., 1958.)

Marshall started his legal career in Baltimore. He soon became involved in civil rights cases and joined the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). In 1936, he moved to New York to work for the NAACP's Legal Defense and Educational Fund, where he began to make a name for himself as an advocate for African American rights.

One of his most significant accomplishments came in 1954 with the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education. Marshall was the lead attorney, arguing that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court unanimously agreed, ruling that "separate but equal" educational facilities were inherently unequal and thus violated the 14th Amendment's guarantee of equal protection under the law. This decision was a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement.

Marshall also argued many other significant cases before the Supreme Court, including Smith v. Allwright (1944) and Shelley v. Kraemer (1948).

(Thurgood Marshall was the NAACP's chief legal counsel, arguing for the plaintiffs in Brown v. Board, decided on May 17, 1954.)

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy appointed Marshall as the U.S. Solicitor General, making him the first African American to hold this position. In this role, Marshall argued several important cases before the Supreme Court, further establishing his legal prowess.

In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court. His confirmation was historic as he became the first African American to serve on the nation’s highest court. Marshall was known for his strong liberal views and commitment to civil rights. He was an advocate for individual rights, the rights of criminal defendants, and the elimination of racial discrimination.

Thurgood Marshall served on the Supreme Court from 1967 until his retirement in 1991. Throughout his tenure, he was a staunch advocate for the expansion of civil rights and liberties. He was involved in several key decisions that shaped American law, including cases on abortion, affirmative action, and the rights of the accused.

Thurgood Marshall passed away on January 24, 1993, at the age of 84. His legacy continues to inspire generations of lawyers, activists, and individuals committed to social justice and equality.

(June 13, 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated distinguished civil rights lawyer Thurgood Marshall to be the first African American justice to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.)

Fun Facts