Thurgood Marshall

• 1. Baltimore Boy And Howard Mentor

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  Thoroughgood Marshall was born on the 2nd of July 1908, in Baltimore, Maryland. His father worked as a waiter in hotels and railroad cars while his mother taught elementary school. The family moved to New York City shortly after his birth but returned to Baltimore when he was six years old. He grew up as an energetic child who frequently found himself in trouble with authority figures. Following legal cases became one of William Marshall's hobbies. Thurgood often accompanied him to court to observe the proceedings. Later in life, Marshall recalled that his father never told him to become a lawyer yet turned him into one through constant argumentation. He challenged his son's logic on every point by making him prove every statement even if they discussed weather.

• 2. Howard University Social Engineers

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  Marshall attended Lincoln University in Chester County, Pennsylvania where he led the debating team to numerous victories. His classmates included poet Langston Hughes though he faced suspension for two weeks following a hazing incident. After graduating with honors in 1930 he applied to Howard University School of Law since all-white institutions barred him from attending University of Maryland Law School. Charles Hamilton Houston mentored Marshall at Howard teaching students to be social engineers willing to use law as a vehicle for civil rights. Marshall graduated ranked first in his class in June 1933 passing the Maryland bar examination later that year. He opened a law practice in Baltimore but it lacked financial success due to community service work consuming much time.

• 3. NAACP Legal Defense Campaigns

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  In 1935 Marshall and Houston brought suit against the University of Maryland on behalf of Donald Gaines Murray whose application had been rejected due to race. Judge Eugene O'Dunne ordered Murray admitted while the Maryland Court of Appeals affirmed holding equal protection violated when admitting white students yet excluding blacks. Marshall later said he filed the lawsuit to get even with bastards who kept him from attending school himself. By 1945 he ended salary disparities in major Southern cities earning reputation as prominent civil rights figure. Of thirty-two civil rights cases argued before the Supreme Court he won twenty-nine including Smith v. Allwright which ruled white primaries unconstitutional. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund became separate organization for tax purposes where Marshall served as director-counsel raising money managing operations conducting public relations work.

• 4. Brown V Board And Desegregation Strategy

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  Marshall helped try South Carolina case calling numerous social scientists to testify regarding harms of segregation. Psychology professor Ken Clark testified that segregation caused self-hatred among African-American students inflicting damage likely to endure as long as conditions existed. Five cases reached Supreme Court arguing December 1952 though Marshall spoke plainly unlike oratorical rhetoric of adversary John W. Davis. He stated only possible justification for segregation was inherent determination keeping people formerly enslaved near slavery stage. On the 17th of May 1954 after internal disagreements and 1953 reargument the Court handed down unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education. Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote separate educational facilities inherently unequal. When Marshall heard Warren read those words he later said I was so happy I was numb. The Court ordered additional arguments on proper remedy deciding desegregation proceed with all deliberate speed in Brown II decided 1955.

• 5. Appellate Judge And Solicitor General

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  President John F. Kennedy nominated Marshall to be judge of United States Court of Appeals for Second Circuit on the 23rd of September 1961. Congress adjourned giving him recess appointment before full confirmation took oath October 23. Southern senators delayed full confirmation over eight months leading Senator Kenneth Keating charge subcommittee biased against Marshall. Full Senate confirmed him by 56, 14 vote on the 11th of September 1962. Marshall authored ninety-eight majority opinions none reversed by Supreme Court plus eight concurrences and twelve dissents. Four years later Johnson appointed him as U.S. Solicitor General confirming the 11th of August 1965 after fifteen-minute hearing. As Solicitor General Marshall won fourteen of nineteen Supreme Court cases arguing including Harper v. Virginia State Board of Elections conditioning voting ability on poll tax payment unlawful. He characterized position most effective job maybe best job ever had defending constitutionality Voting Rights Act winning both South Carolina v. Katzenbach and Katzenbach v. Morgan.

• 6. Supreme Court Confirmation Process

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  Johnson announced nomination in White House Rose Garden June 13 declaring Marshall deserved appointment right thing time man place. Mississippi's James O. Eastland North Carolina's Sam Ervin Jr. Arkansas's John McClellan and South Carolina's Strom Thurmond opposed nominee's liberal jurisprudence during five-day hearings July. Time magazine characterized Thurmond asking over sixty questions about minor aspects constitutional provisions Yahoo-type hazing. Committee recommended confirmation by 11, 5 vote August 3 though six hours debate preceded final Senate vote. Senators voted 69, 11 to confirm Marshall the 2nd of October 1967 becoming first African American justice. He took oath replacing Justice Tom C. Clark who resigned February 1967 fearing conflicts from son Ramsey Clark Attorney General appointment. Johnson chose Marshall after briefly considering William H. Hastie or female candidate deciding choice obvious according scholar Henry J. Abraham.

• 7. Dissenting On Death Penalty And Rights

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  Marshall fervently opposed capital punishment throughout tenure arguing cruel unusual unconstitutional under Eighth Amendment. Only justice considerable experience defending those charged capital crimes expressed concern injustices death-penalty cases unremediable often commenting death so lasting. In Furman v. Georgia Court struck down capital-punishment statutes then Marshall wrote morally unacceptable people United States this time history falls upon poor ignorant underprivileged members society. When Gregg v. Georgia upheld new laws requiring juries consider aggravating mitigating circumstances he dissented describing capital punishment vestigial savagery immoral violative Eighth Amendment. Afterwards Marshall and Brennan dissented every instance Court declined review death sentence filing more than 1,400 dissents reading adhering views death penalty all circumstances cruel unusual prohibited Fourteenth Amendments grant certiorari vacate death sentence case. He supported Warren Court constitutional decisions criminal law writing opinion Benton v. Maryland holding double jeopardy applied states.