Thurgood Marshall was an eminent lawyer and civil rights advocate who was also the first African American to sit on the US Supreme Court. During the modern African American struggle, he devoted his life to opposing segregation and injustice in America. Midway through the 19th century, the modern African-American movement was a time of intense dedication to bringing forth equality in America. While the way people of color are treated has changed as a result of Marshall's efforts, the fight for civil rights is still ongoing, as can be seen by examining the contemporary African-American movement.
Boycotts, sit-ins, and protests were just a few instances of the civil disobedience that defined the Modern African American Movement. The goal to eradicate
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As noted in Ruth Bader Ginsburg's entry in the Encyclopedia of World Biography, Marshall's work helped create a legacy of outspokenness that has continued to this day. The legacy of Marshall's work is still being felt today in the efforts of aspiring judges and attorneys who continue to fight for justice in the courts. Former Supreme Court Judge and feminist icon Ginsburg frequently cited Marshall as having a significant effect on her writing. Like Marshall, Ginsburg understood that legal victories were essential for promoting social change. She recognized that the struggle for women's rights and civil rights correlate and fought to ensure that women received equal protection under the law. One of the many examples where this is evident throughout her career is when Ginsburg went on to argue several other important gender discrimination cases, including Frontiero v. Richardson, which challenged a law that prevented female military spouses from receiving the same benefits as male spouses, and United States v. Virginia, which challenged the Virginia Military Institute's male-only admission policy. Marshall and Ginsburg's legacies highlight the importance of intersectionality in social movements (The Encyclopedia of World Biography). The fights for justice and equality led by the Civil Rights Movement and the Women's Rights …show more content…
Marshall grew up in Baltimore, a city that was deeply segregated, with African Americans living in crowded and impoverished neighborhoods while whites lived in more affluent areas. The discrimination that Marshall experienced firsthand in his community undoubtedly fueled his passion for justice and equality (Rothstein). Sam Kling mentions in his book that Marshall's upbringing in Baltimore gave him a better understanding of the devastating repercussions of segregation and prejudice against communities of color. Marshall was a great civil rights champion who was able to overthrow America's long-standing systems of discrimination and segregation thanks to his personal experiences and legal education. Marshall's legacy continues to inspire people today to fight for justice and equality in their communities, and his example shows us that it is possible to make positive change, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges