- A man can make what he wants of himself if he truly believes that he must be ready for hard work and many heartbreaks.
- Our whole constitutional heritage rebels at the thought of giving government the power to control men's minds.
- A child born to a black mother in a state like Mississippi--born to the dumbest, poorest sharecropper--by merely drawing its first breath in the democracy has exactly the same right as a white baby born to the wealthiest person in the United States. It's not true, but I challenge anyone to say it's not a goal worth working for.
- If the 1st Amendment means anything, it means that a state has no business telling a man, sitting alone in his own house, what books he may read or what films he may watch.
- In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.
- Surely the fact that a uniformed police officer is wearing his hair below his collar will make him no less identifiable as a policeman.
- None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We got here because somebody - a parent, a teacher, an Ivy League crony or a few nuns - bent down and helped us pick up our boots.
- Lawlessness is lawlessness. Anarchy is anarchy is anarchy. Neither race nor color nor frustration is an excuse for either lawlessness or anarchy.
- Mere access to the courthouse doors does not by itself assure a proper functioning of the adversary process.
- Ending racial discrimination in jury selection can be accomplished only by eliminating peremptory challenges entirely.
- I have a lifetime appointment and I intend to serve it. I expect to die at 110, shot by a jealous husband.
Thurgood Marshall Quotes
By Jessica McElrath, About.com
Suggested Reading
Explore African-American History
Must Reads
More from About.com
Work Hard, Travel Easy
The best tips for business travelers.Dog Care
Get tips on training and caring for dogs of all ages.48 Hours in Vegas
Plan a hot weekend in Sin City.Hotel Advice
The must-stay hotels worldwide.
©2008 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.
All rights reserved.