Thurgood Marshall, Justice for All

by David Gallen

A collection of 15 opinions and dissents of this national defender of individual liberties and civil rights, as well as personal recollections of Marshall's closest associates. Nominated for the NAACP Image Award. "A hearty tribute . . . I hope Clarence Thomas reads it."--Los Angeles Times Book Review.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, American History, Biography

Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The preface was very off putting. It says that Marshall is intensely private, doesn't do interviews and doesn't speak about any cases so it is very difficult to explain the man. Then you get to the shorter tributes that his clerks, his colleagues and admirers write and you see a completely different picture of a man who was very closed mouthed about the court and the cases he was involved in as well he should be, but a dry humored individual who enjoyed telling his collections of stories to all kinds of people.

I became interested in Marshall as I was trying to fill in my educational gap on the run up to the peaceful protests led by Martin Luther King. Without Marshall and the NAACP there would not have been the progress and hope that King used to empower his movement.

This man grew up in relative poverty and experienced the ill treatment of black men in America. He was the advocate for pursuing freedom by law that was being denied to citizens of America that were not of an acceptable color. Some of the incidents are harrowing as he goes out to defend the disadvantaged and is in danger of his life. And yet, there is humor woven in.

This also gave me the background to the establishment of the NAACP and the groundwork that needed to be laid in order for the advancement of the law to be applied to those who never should have been denied their rights. And this guy could marshal the facts and present them in a clear and calm manner. He was brilliant and also had the gift of leadership. He chose and allowed those he chose to freely do the task assigned them.

He truly was a giant that arose for just the time when he was needed.

[Sharon Healy-Yang · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the past, I'd realized Marshall was an admirable Supreme Court Justice. However, this book brought home to me just how extraordinary a man he was, how vital he was to the moral and political health of this country. The book gives us his history through a collection of essays from various colleagues, law clerks, friends and family who could speak to his groundbreaking contributions in law and jurisprudence - as well as his sense of humor. The book also contains his opinions, affirmations, and dissents: erudite yet readable. It's easy to forget that, with the NAACP, he successfully worked to dismantle segregation in education, housing, legal rights, etc (including Brown vs. Board of Education). Reading this book, you see a man with an incisive mind, a clear-eyed understanding of the Constitution, a fierce work ethic, and an admirable determination to achieve justice for all. We need more justices like him. This is a book that should be read to understand our history and respect the people who fight to keep it in the right.

[Aaron Horton · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was okay. It took me too long to finish. I got lost on a lot of the language use in this book to describe the many cases while a lawyer and Supreme Court Judge. The flow of the book wasn't easy for me.