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``Thurgood Marshall ``by Brenda ``Thurgood Marshall ``by Brenda HoganHogan

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TIMETIME LINELINE1930:1930:Mr. Marshall graduates with honors Mr. Marshall graduates with honors

from Lincoln U.from Lincoln U. 1933:1933:Receives law degree from Howard U.; Receives law degree from Howard U.;

begins privatebegins private practice inpractice in BaltimoreBaltimore

19341934Begins to work for Baltimore branch Begins to work for Baltimore branch

of NAACPof NAACP

1935:1935:Charles Houston, wins first major Charles Houston, wins first major

civil rights case, Murray v. civil rights case, Murray v. PearsonPearson

1936:1936:

Becomes assistant special Becomes assistant special counsel for NAACP in Newcounsel for NAACP in New YorkYork

1940 :1940 : Wins first of 29 Supreme Court Wins first of 29 Supreme Court

victories (Chambers vvictories (Chambers v. . Florida)Florida)

1944:1944: Successfully argues Smith v. All Successfully argues Smith v. All

wrights, overthrowing the South's wrights, overthrowing the South's "white primary"white primary

1950:1950:Wins Supreme Court victories in two Wins Supreme Court victories in two

graduate-school integration cases, graduate-school integration cases, Sweatt v. Painter and McLaurin v. Sweatt v. Painter and McLaurin v. Oklahoma State RegentsOklahoma State Regents

1951:1951:Visits South Korea and Japan to Visits South Korea and Japan to

investigate charges of racism in investigate charges of racism in U.S. armed forces. He reported U.S. armed forces. He reported that the general practice was one that the general practice was one of "rigid segregationof "rigid segregation

1954:1954:Wins Brown v. Board of Education of Wins Brown v. Board of Education of

Topeka, landmark case that Topeka, landmark case that demolishes legal basis for demolishes legal basis for segregation in Americasegregation in America

1961:1961:Appointed circuit judge, makes 112 Appointed circuit judge, makes 112

rulings, all of them later upheld by rulings, all of them later upheld by Supreme Court (1961-1965)Supreme Court (1961-1965)

1965:1965:Appointed U.S. solicitor general byAppointed U.S. solicitor general by

President Lyndon Johnson ;wins 14 President Lyndon Johnson ;wins 14 of the 19 cases he argues for the of the 19 cases he argues for the government (1965-1967)government (1965-1967)

1967:Becomes first African American elevated to U.S. Supreme Court (1967-1991)1991 :Retires from the Supreme Court1993 :Dies at 84

Supreme Court judge, civil rights advocate. Thurgood Marshall was born on July 2, 1908 in

Baltimore, Maryland. The great-grandson of a slave, he graduated as valedictorian from Howard

University Law School (1933) and soon began to represent civil-rights activists. Becoming a counsel for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (1938), during the next 23 years he won 29 of the 32 major cases he undertook for that organization; several of the cases set constitutional

precedents in matters such as voting rights and breaking down segregated transportation and

education. His finest moment came with Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which overturned Plessy

v. Ferguson (1896) and its ‘separate but equal’ ruling that perpetuated segregated institutions and

facilities.President John F Kennedy named him to the US Court

of Appeals, a seat he finally took despite the resistance of Southern senators (1962–5). President Lyndon Johnson appointed him US solicitor general

(1965–7) and then to the US Supreme Court, the first African-American to hold such an office (1967–91). Consistently voting with the liberal block, he found

himself increasingly isolated as the court's make-up changed, and he was forced by ill health to retire

and see his seat taken by the conservative Clarence Thomas.

Marshall died of heart failure on January 24, 1993. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Mr. Chief Justice, Mr. President, My friends... It is a great day. We are all here because it is a great day.

I am particularly happy that people like the Chief Justice of the United States is here; and other Chief Judges. (Applause). I want to confess, I begged him not to come; because I know how much work he has to do. By statute, he has jurisdiction over I don't know how many different outfits in this country, which he has to go to. And then he has to preside over some five hundred Federal Judges, each of whom is an individual prima Donna. (Laughter ). And with all of that, he shouldn't

find time to come something like this. But, he insisted. To him, it was that important; and to me that truly

demonstrates how important it is.would like to start off by having a couple of true stories on the record. I do not have a written speech. I have gotten

away from written speeches since I heard about that legislator who had a speech committee in his off ice...and they would write up these speeches for him. He wouldn't even look at them before he delivered them. He just read them off. And this day he said, "Look! Next Monday night I

am speaking for Senator Johnson; and I want a speech, twenty minutes (long); and I want it on energy." And they

said, "What are...?" And he said, "That's it. Just go do it." And they did. And on Monday they gave him the speech and he went out, got in his car, got in the place, got there, got in

another car, went there. When he was called on to speak, he opened up his speech, and on the first page he went on

telling stories like this.... ( Laughter from the audience).

Speech ofTHE HONORABLE THURGOOD MARSHALLAssociate Justice, The United StatesSupreme CourtSaturday, November 18, 1978

When I do get around the country like recently, I have been to places like... unfortunately for funerals; like New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, etc. When I get out and talk with the people in the street, I still get the same problems. "You know, like years ago, you told us things were going to get better. But they are not a darn bit better for me. I am still having trouble getting to work. I have trouble eating." And guess what I am getting now?  "...You not only told me that; you told my father that.And he's no better off; and neither am 1. And can you tell me my children will be better off." Well, all I am trying to tell you...there's a lot more to be done. Now, think of those good old days. We started at Howard with Charlie Houston as dean.... (Charles H. Houston, Dean of Howard University Law School, 1930-1935). ...The school had several things that they did not have would be more important. They did not have a reputation, and they did not have any accreditation; and they did not have anything, 'it looked to me.' This is a great day. We are entering a great era. And let's do as many of us did back home. You know some people have been going home with the Roots business and all that. (Laughter). I have been going over these since the late 50's. When Kenya got its independence in 1963, and to see all those hundreds of thousands of people. When freedom was declared, ...in unison yelled, "Harambee." (Meaning) "Pull Together." We could, and with Wiley and this school, we will continue to do it. Anything I can do to help, I will do, 'that is except raise money.' Because there are a couple of committees of the Judiciary that say, "No." (Standing Ovation).

THE BARRISTERHoward University School of LawDenise V. Rolark, Editor in Chief

Lee Roy Clemons, CR/SRStenographic Reporter