October 2 - Thurgood Marshall Becomes First Black Supreme Court Justice

This Day in History: 2 October 2020

 

2 October 1967

 

53 years ago, today, Thurgood Marshall was sworn in as the first Black Supreme Court Justice. Through his role as chief counsel for the NAACP in the 1940s and 50s, Marshall was the architect and executor of the legal strategy that ended the era of official racial segregation. He argued more than a dozen cases before the US Supreme Court, challenging racial segregation, most notably and successfully in 1954's Brown v. Board of Education, where the Supreme Court ruled that segregation violated the equal rights clause in the 14^th Amendment. This served as a great milestone for the civil rights movement and ultimately led to the abolishment of segregation in all public places.

 

President John F. Kennedy appointed Marshall to the US Court of Appeals in 1961, but his nomination was opposed by many Southern senators. However, in 1965, President Lyndon Johnson appointed Marshall to be solicitor general of the United States, where he could argue cases again before the Supreme Court, but this time on behalf of the US government. Two years later, Johnson nominated Marshall to fill the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice Tom Clark. During his 24 years on the high court, he consistently challenged discrimination based on race or sex, opposed the death penalty and demanded for action. He retired in 1991 due to his declining health and died in 1993.

 

Want to find out more about Thurgood Marshall? Click here for more information, or watch the 2017 biographical film 'Marshall' starring Chadwick Boseman to learn more.

BBC programmes

Some excellent programmes on BBC2 and BBC4 over the last couple of days. For historians, Fergal Keane's Story of Ireland covered Elizabeth's reign and Hugh O'Neill's rebellion with a clear Irish interpretation but one that reveals more about how the Irish were viewed in the 16th century. Last night, for the politicians there were two excellent programmes - the Highest Court in the Land about the UK Supreme Court with an interesting interview with Lord Phillips, President of the Supreme Court and Heath and Wilson which was a fascinating exploration of the relationship between these two prime ministers of the 1960s and 70s. All on iplayer, all worth watching - both for interest and the exams.

Supreme Court Cases 2010

The beginning of the Supreme Court's new term always brings with it some interesting new cases. None more so than the one they were hearing today - have a look below.


Here is a list of the other cases up for review and here is a very useful list of the cases that were considered in 2009-10 and their results.

Chicago and Arizona

Chicago City Council in a 45-0 vote approved a new gun ordinance after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the city's 28-year-old strict ban on handgun ownership was unconstitutional. At the end of June the Supreme Court ruling overturned the city's previous handgun ban. Although it was expected, the decision confirms the conservative view of the court on gun issues. Two years ago a similar decision was taken regarding Washington DC's gun laws despite this interfering with states' rights. Chicago has particular reason for concern on the issue as last month 164 people were murdered in the city, mainly by a gun. Here is the CNN report.
Meanwhile on another contentious issue... the US Government is taking Arizona to court to try to stop its controversial laws on illegal immigration. It is believed that its powers to stop and ask for identification will lead to racial profiling on a large scale as there is a large Hispanic community in the state. Mark Mardell sums it up well.
What is your view on these issues? Liberal Europeans misunderstanding America's priorities or American exceptionalism of the worst kind?

The confirmation process begins

As a result of the announcement of Elena Kagan's appointment to the Supreme Court on Monday, the political process has begun in trying to persuade the Senate Judiciary Committee to confirm her. See here for information about the meeting she has had so far with Senator Harry Reid and other links to relevant video clips. The BBC also has analysis and information as well as further links about Elena and her background. Look out for further developments in the process during study leave. There are a number of questions about her appointement - from her lack of experience as a judge to decisions taken as Dean of Harvard Law School to her being Jewish in a Court with no Protestants. What do you think? Will her appointment go smoothly?

New Senate battle over the next Justice?

John Paul Stevens's resignation at the age of 90 (well almost) is a double edged sword for Obama. In one way it is good news as it gives him a chance to appoint a new one, one of the most important appointments he will make. However, it means that he has to choose carefully; too liberal and he will have a significant fight on with the Senate just before the November mid-terms, too conservative and he may not subscribe to Obama's liberal philosophy once on the court. John Paul Stevens himself is an example of the danger of the latter as he was a liberal appointed by a Republican President, Gerald Ford, in 1975. Whatever the decision, the events over the next few months will be useful examples. See here for the Times article and here for the Washington Post special on his resignation.

Guns and shopping

A fascinating, if rather disturbing, blog by Mark Mardell today - look at the blog section on the right of this article. A group of American citizens are trying to make their point about being allowed to carry guns with them by doing just that in visible holsters while shopping...
A related article here from the Economist this week highlights a Supreme Court case that will be illustrative of the Court's view of the Second Amendment but a difficult one for conservatives - guns or states' rights?

Race, religion and the UK Supreme Court

An interesting case being taken up by the Supreme Court here. The Jewish Free School (JFS) in north-west London is being accused of racial discrimination in prioritising those children of Jewish faith. This is the result of a case brought on behalf of a boy, known as M, who was refused admission to the JFS because his mother converted to Judaism in a procedure not recognised by the office of the chief rabbi. The Court's decision may have consequences for all religious schools, as discussed here. What do you think?

Key cases before the US Supreme Court

Some fantastic cases to be considered by the Supreme Court this year - from guns to crosses to dog-fighting, terrorism and human rights, it's all there! Have a look at the BBC's compilation of cases here and CNN's view of the Second Amendment case and see what you think. No wonder Sonia Sotomayor looks so pleased to be on the Supreme Court!

The Supreme Court opens today

The new Supreme Court justices of the UK Supreme Court are to be sworn in today. A 'milestone in British legal history' and one not to be missed by Politics students. See here for the President of the Supreme Court's comments and here for some pictures of the newly transformed building in Parliament Square.

The Judiciary in focus

Two news stories that will keep the judiciary in the news for some time. The last decision that the Law Lords have taken in their current home in the House of Lords is causing controversy - the Debby Purdy decision on assisted suicide. See the Channel 4 news excerpt here. Its move across Parliament Square in October as the newly formed Supreme Court will only highlight such decisions in the future. Secondly, the Iraq War Inquiry, to be headed by Sir John Chilcot will have political implications throughout its hearings, probably well into 2011, see the Channel 4 news story here.
And another thing - a good link here to the Guardian's special on the Human Rights Act.

More on Sonia

It looks like the Committee is quite keen... Lots more on Sonia on the CNN allpolitics.com website

Sotomayor given highest rating by ABA

Sonia Sotomayor, Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court, has been given the American Bar Association's highest rating of 'well qualified'. Senate Judiciary Committee hearings begin next week and there will be a huge amount of scrutiny of everything she says, here is a link to the Washington Post website's special Sotomayor section.

The new Supreme Court Judge

Excellent article in the Economist analysing Obama's new appointment for the Supreme Court. See here.