APM Reports: Thurgood Marshall Before the Court
Fifty years ago today, June 13, 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated civil rights lawyer Thurgood Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court. He was the first African-American to serve on the nation's highest court.
Marshall grew up in Baltimore during the Jim Crow era, facing discrimination almost everywhere he went. He learned to pick his battles carefully, but vowed at a young age that he would work to make sure the generation after him would not have to put up with the hateful comments and treatment he suffered.
An APM Reports documentary, "Thurgood Marshall Before the Court," looks at Marshall's fight for equality from childhood to his appointment to the Supreme Court.
Produced by APM's Stephen Smith and Kate Ellis.
To listen to the documentary, click the audio player above.
• More from MPR News Presents MPR News presents offers speeches, documentaries and debates — airing weekdays from noon to 1 p.m.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.