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Thurgood Marshall Essay

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Thurgood Marshall During the 20th century I have read many books, newspaper articles and seen news broadcasts on two of the most famous Afro American Pioneers: Martin Luther King and Thurgood Marshall. Martin Luther King fought all his life for equal rights for Afro Americans, but Thurgood Marshall help elevate the Afro American civil rights struggles through legal precedents and timely court decisions. Thomas G. Kraftenmaker a professor of Constitutional law at Georgetown University Law Center wrote, "When I think of great American lawyers I think of Thurgood Marshall, Abe Lincoln and Daniel Webster". In this century only Earl Warren approaches Marshall. Thurgood Marshall is certainly the most important lawyer of the 20th century. …show more content…

By 1934 Thurgood begins work for The NAACP. In 1935 Thurgood and his friend and mentor Charles Huston won their first civil rights case Murray v. Pearson. Today most Afro Americans don't realize how important a role Thurgood played in shaping the legal precedents for school segregation. Thurgood hated the ideal of our young and proud Afro Americans boys and girls having to travel outside their school districts just to attend colored schools, because their local elementary and high schools were not segregated. . Thurgood fought hard and vigorously to bring about a change in elementary and high school segregation. In 1954 Thurgood conquers a big milestone in winning his famous case Brown v. The Board of Education, of Topeka Kansas. The United States Supreme Court ruled that all elementary and high schools will be segregated. From 1940-1960s Thurgood's name became a main stayed within the Afro American Communities. Afro Americans from many cities would call upon Thurgood for his services. Thurgood would work for free, just to help and defend his people. Then in February 1955 Thurgood's wife Vivan became very ill from cancer, and she eventually died. Thurgood was so saddened that he remained single for two years. Thurgood then met and eventually married his second wife Cecilia Suyat. (Born as a Philippine). Cecilia was a secretary for The NAACP Office. Thurgood and Cecilia had two sons: Thomas Jr. and John. Thurgood's biggest

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