Justice Thurgood Marshall

As a powerful voice in the battle for Civil Rights and the first African American appointed to the nation's highest court, Justice Thurgood Marshall was among the scores of African Americans across the country who were conquering color barriers in government, sports, music, and culture. A former law clerk to Justice Marshall offers an in-depth look at this monumental figure and his enduring legacy.

Randall Kennedy, a former clerk to Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, is Michael R. Klein Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. His most recent book is For Discrimination: Race, Affirmative Action, and the Law.