Thurgood Marshall was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1967.

Thurgood Marshall was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Lyndon Johnson in 1967. Marshall was the first African American Supreme Court Justice. Marshall was instrumental in numerous civil rights cases. In 1954, he argued and won the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, in which the Supreme Court declared segregation of public schools illegal.

Discuss the following statement by Thurgood Marshall with your students: "If the First Amendment means anything, it means that a state has no business telling a man, sitting alone in his house, what books he may read or what films he may watch." Invite students to think about Marshall's statement by considering each piece of the comment. For instance, begin by reading the First Amendment and talking about the civil rights that the amendment guarantees. After exploring the quotation fully, use K-W-L Creator to complete a K-W-L chart with your students and have them use the resources listed below to begin an investigation.

• Thurgood Marshall
  

  This site includes biographical and background information on Marshall, as well as details on court decisions he was involved in.

   

• Thurgood Marshall: American Hero
  

  From the US Postal Service, this printable resource includes information about Marshall, a few lessons plans, and a word puzzle.

   

• Today in History: October 2
  

  From the Library of Congress, this page includes a biography of Marshall with links to information on important cases he played a role in, such as Brown v. Board of Education.

   

• The Supreme Court
  

  Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids provides grade-appropriate information about the Supreme Court and how it works.