Thurgood Marshall

Born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1905

Grew up during time of segregation He was smart and curious. His father taught him to debate at early age. Thurgood often argued with his teachers. In order to keep him busy, they made him study the United States Constitution.

Thurgood realized education was important. He felt it was important to protect his rights and the rights of others. After finishing high school, Marshall went to Lincoln University in Oxford, Pennsylvania. It was the first university to allow African American students.

Thurgood enjoyed college and wanted to become a lawyer. During this time, there were few African American lawyers. Unjust rules made it hard for African Americans to go to law school.

Segregation was common. African Americans were kept apart from other Americans in many public places, such as schools, hotels and restaurants.

Marshall was angry over segregation. He wanted to work for justice and the end of unfair treatment of African Americans.

Marshall graduated and went to law school at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He couldn’t go to law school at University of Maryland because they didn’t allow African Americans He became friends with his professor named Charles Houston. Together, they went to Supreme Court to decide if Segregation laws were unfair.

Marshall and Houston became lawyers for NAACP. He took the University of Maryland to court and the court agreed with Marshall and Houston. The court ordered the University of Maryland to let African Americans study their. They argued many more cases for African Americans.

In 1951, Marshall took many cases to the Supreme Court. He argued that separate schools were not equal and that they should go to the same schools as other children. This case is known as the “Brown versus Board of Education”.

All nine judges agreed with Marshall and the Browns. In 1954, they decided that school segregation had to end. It is now against the law to stop children from going to public school because they were African American.

This was a small victory. It only ended segregation in schools. He wanted to end segregation everywhere. He won many cases that ended segregation in certain places. People took part in marches and boycotts to show support for civil rights.

In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson chose Marshall to serve as a judge on the United States Supreme Court. Marshall became the first African American judge on the United States Supreme Court. He had the right to make decisions about civil rights laws. He could saw that unjust laws had to change.

Marshall served on the Supreme Court for 24 years. He received many honors for his work with civil rights. A statue of Marshall stands in front of Baltimore. He also had a stamp to honor him.

Character traits Justice is fair and equal treatment under a system of laws. He worked for justice for African Americans. People who feel strongly about what is right and are free to speak have freedom of conscience and expression. Marshall showed freedom of conscience and expression when he argued against segregation. People who believe leaders have right to lead have respect for and acceptance for authority. Marshall respected and accepted the authority of the United States Supreme Court.

Authority: The right and power to lead

Boycott: refusing to buy, sell or use certain goods or services as a way to protest something

Citizen: a person who is an official member if a city, town or country

civil rights: the basic freedoms that all citizens deserve to have because they are citizens

debate: a discussion in which many sides of an argument are presented

justice: fair and equal treatment under a system of laws

segregation: a system of keeping some people separate from others

Thurgood Marshall