Thurgood Marshall

Definition

Thurgood Marshall was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from 1967-1991. He was the first African American justice and is best known for his high success rate in arguing before the Supreme Court and for his role in ending legal segregation with Brown v. Board of Education.

Analogy

Consider Thurgood Marshall as a key player on a basketball team who consistently scores points (wins cases). His most significant "game-winning shot" was Brown v. Board of Education which ended legal segregation - changing rules of game forever.

Related terms

Civil Rights Movement: A struggle by African Americans in mid-20th century to achieve equal rights under law.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Landmark case that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional.

Equal Protection Clause: Part of Fourteenth Amendment stating that no state shall deny any person within its jurisdiction "the equal protection of laws."