Thurgood Marshall (July 2, 1908 – January 24, 1993) was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, serving from October 1967 until October 1991. Marshall was the Court's 96th justice and its first African-American justice.
| Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court | |
|---|---|
| In office October 2, 1967 – October 1, 1991 |
|
| Nominated by | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Preceded by | Tom C. Clark |
| Succeeded by | Clarence Thomas |
| 32ndUnited States Solicitor General | |
| In office August 1965 – August 1967 |
|
| President | Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Preceded by | Archibald Cox |
| Succeeded by | Erwin N. Griswold |
| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit | |
| In office August 1961 – August 1965 |
|
| Nominated by | John F. Kennedy |
| Preceded by | New Seat |
| Succeeded by | Wilfred Feinberg |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 2, 1908 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Died | January 24, 1993 (aged 84) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) | Vivien "Buster" Burey (1929–1955) (her death) Cecilia Suyat (1955–1993) (his death) |
| Children | Thurgood Marshall, Jr., John W. Marshall |
| Alma mater | Lincoln University Howard University School of Law |
| Religion | Episcopalian |
Before becoming a judge, Marshall was a lawyer who was best known for his high success rate in arguing before the Supreme Court and for the victory in Brown v. Board of Education, a decision that desegregated public schools. He served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit after being appointed by President John F. Kennedy and then served as the Solicitor General after being appointed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965. President Johnson nominated him to the United States Supreme Court in 1967.
We’re one country with one Constitution.
In 1987, Marshall gave a controversial speech on the occasion of the bicentennial celebrations of the Constitution of the United States. Marshall stated:
The government they devised was defective from the start, requiring several amendments, a civil war, and major social transformations to attain the system of constitutional government and its respect for the freedoms and individual rights, we hold as fundamental today.
In conclusion Marshall stated:
Some may more quietly commemorate the suffering, struggle, and sacrifice that has triumphed over much of what was wrong with the original document, and observe the anniversary with hopes not realized and promises not fulfilled. I plan to celebrate the bicentennial of the Constitution as a living document, including the Bill of Rights and the other amendments protecting individual freedoms and human rights.
Remarks of Thurgood Marshall
At The Annual Seminar of the SAN FRANCISCO PATENT AND TRADEMARK LAW ASSOCIATION
In Maui, Hawaii May 6, 1987
Thurgood Marshall
