Happy Birthday Thurgood Marshall

“Sometimes history takes things into its own hands” - Thurgood Marshall

(Thurgood Marshall)

Thurgood Marshall was born as Thoroughgood Marshall on July 2nd, 1908 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Marshall changed his 1st name to “Thurgood” while in the 2nd grade because he didn't like the spelling of his original name.

(Marshall as a child)

Marshall attended Frederick Douglass High School. He graduated a year early in 1925. He placed in the top third of the class.

(Marshall as a young man)

He attended Lincoln University. His classmates were poet Langston Hughes and musician Cab Calloway. Marshall was a star on the debate team. In his 2nd year in college he got involved in a sit-in protest against segregation at a local movie theatre. He also was initiated as a member of the first black fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha.

(Marshall (Middle Row 2nd from the right) as a part of Alpha Phi Alpha)

In 1929 he married Vivien Burey.

(Marshall with his family)

He graduated from Lincoln with honors. He then attended Howard University School of Law. In 1933 he graduated first in his class at Howard. Marshall then started a private law practice in Baltimore, MD. In 1934 he joined the NAACP.

(Marshall in 1934)

In 1954 Marshall took on the case of “Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka”. The case which the Supreme Court ruled that "separate but equal" public education, as established by “Plessy v. Ferguson”, was not applicable to public education because it could never be truly equal. In total, Marshall won 29 out of the 32 cases he argued before the Supreme Court.

(Marshall in 1954)

In 1967 President Johnson nominated Marshall to the Supreme Court. He became the 1st Black person on the US Supreme Court.

(Marshall in 1967)

His most frequent ally on the Court was Justice William Brennan, who consistently joined him in supporting abortion rights and opposing the death penalty. In 1991 Marshall retired from the Supreme Court.

(Marshall in 1991)

On January 24th, 1993 Thurgood Marshall died of heart failure in Bethesda, Maryland, USA. He was 84 years old.

(Marshall’s funeral)

Today is his 109th birthday and we would all like to say happy birthday and rest in peace Thurgood Marshall.

Videos of Thurgood Marshall

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoPLitU6jVg  “LOST THURGOOD MARSHALL INTERVIEW with MIKE WALLACE”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBelqJzuWEo  “Thurgood Marshall Interview”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnOB5PpXHu0  “Thurgood Trailer (HBO)”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfvzEXhhWNk  “Marshall Trailer #1 (2017) | Movieclips Trailers”

Anniversary of Thurgood Marshall's Death

“Sometimes history takes things into its own hands” - Thurgood Marshall

(Thurgood Marshall)

Thurgood Marshall was born as Thoroughgood Marshall on July 2nd, 1908 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Marshall changed his 1st name to “Thurgood” while in the 2nd grade because he didn't like the spelling of his original name.

(Marshall as a child)

Marshall attended Frederick Douglass High School. He graduated a year early in 1925. He placed in the top third of the class.

(Marshall as a young man)

He attended Lincoln University. His classmates were poet Langston Hughes and musician Cab Calloway. Marshall was a star on the debate team. In his 2nd year in college he got involved in a sit-in protest against segregation at a local movie theatre. He also was initiated as a member of the first black fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha.

(Marshall (Middle Row 2nd from the right) as a part of Alpha Phi Alpha)

In 1929 he married Vivien Burey.

(Marshall with his family)

He graduated from Lincoln with honors. He then attended Howard University School of Law. In 1933 he graduated first in his class at Howard. Marshall then started a private law practice in Baltimore, MD. In 1934 he joined the NAACP.

(Marshall in 1934)

In 1954 Marshall took on the case of “Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka”. The case which the Supreme Court ruled that "separate but equal" public education, as established by “Plessy v. Ferguson”, was not applicable to public education because it could never be truly equal. In total, Marshall won 29 out of the 32 cases he argued before the Supreme Court.

(Marshall in 1954)

In 1967 President Johnson nominated Marshall to the Supreme Court. He became the 1st Black person on the US Supreme Court.

(Marshall in 1967)

His most frequent ally on the Court was Justice William Brennan, who consistently joined him in supporting abortion rights and opposing the death penalty. In 1991 Marshall retired from the Supreme Court.

(Marshall in 1991)

On January 24th, 1993 Thurgood Marshall died of heart failure in Bethesda, Maryland, USA. He was 84 years old.

(Marshall’s funeral)

Today is the 24th anniversary of his death. Take time to remember this great supreme court judge today.

Videos of Thurgood Marshall

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoPLitU6jVg  “LOST THURGOOD MARSHALL INTERVIEW with MIKE WALLACE”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBelqJzuWEo  “Thurgood Marshall Interview”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnOB5PpXHu0  “Thurgood Trailer (HBO)”

Anniversary of Richard Wright's Death

“Men can starve from a lack of self-realization as much as they can from a lack of bread” - Richard Wright

(Richard Wright)

Richard Wright was born on September 4th, 1908 in Roxie, Mississippi, USA. When Wright was 6 his father left the family.

(Wright (Left) with his brother (Right))

At 12 years old his mother suffered a stroke which made Wright have to live with his uncle. He then went to live with his grandmother in Jackson, Mississippi in 1920. In 1921 he started school. In 1923 he became his class valedictorian. Also in 1923 he wrote his 1st story. In 1925 he moved to Tennessee. In 1926 his mother and brother moved in with him. In 1927 he moved to Illinois. In 1932 he began attending a communist club.

(Wright in 1932)

In 1933 he joined the Communist party. In 1935 he published his 1st novel Cesspool. In 1936 he began work with the National Negro Congress. In 1937 he left the Communist party due to it being shut down. In 1937 he moved to New York. He became the Harlem editor for the “Daily Worker”.

(Wright in 1937)

In 1938 he became friends with author Ralph Ellison. Also in 1938 he won the “Story” magazine prize. He then wrote Uncle Tom’s Children (1938).

(Wright in 1939)

In 1940 he wrote Native Son. Also in 1940 he went to Chicago. In 1941 Wright received the Spingarn Medal.

(Wright in 1941)

In 1943 the FBI started to monitor Wright. In 1945 he wrote Black Boy. In 1946 he moved to Paris, France.

(Wright in 1946)

In 1947 he became a French citizen. In 1953 he wrote The Outsider. He also became friends with James Baldwin. Also in 1953 he went to Accra, Ghana.

(Wright in 1953)

In 1954 he wrote Savage Holiday. Also in 1954 he wrote Black Power. In 1955 he went to Indonesia. In 1957 he wrote White Man, Listen!.

(Wright in 1957)

In 1958 he wrote The Long Dream. In 1959 Wright became a victim of a virulent attack of amoebic dysentery.

(Wright in 1959)

On November 28th, 1960 Richard Wright died of a heart attack in Paris, France. He was 58 years old.

(Wright in 1960)

Today is the 56th anniversary of his death. Take time to remember this great writer today.

Books by Richard Wright

• Uncle Tom's Children (1938)
• The Man Who Was Almost a Man (1939)
• Native Son (1940)
• 12 Million Black Voices: A Folk History of the Negro in the United States (1941)
• Black Boy (1945)
• The Outsider (1953)
• Savage Holiday (1954)
• Black Power (1954)
• The Color Curtain (1956)
• Pagan Spain (1957)
• The Long Dream (1958)

(P.S. sorry for the late post)

Happy Birthday Richard Wright

“Men can starve from a lack of self-realization as much as they can from a lack of bread” - Richard Wright

(Richard Wright)

Richard Wright was born on September 4th, 1908 in Roxie, Mississippi, USA. When Wright was 6 his father left the family.

(Wright (Left) with his brother (Right))

At 12 years old his mother suffered a stroke which made Wright have to live with his uncle. He then went to live with his grandmother in Jackson, Mississippi in 1920. In 1921 he started school. In 1923 he became his class valedictorian. Also in 1923 he wrote his 1st story. In 1925 he moved to Tennessee. In 1926 his mother and brother moved in with him. In 1927 he moved to Illinois. In 1932 he began attending a communist club.

(Wright in 1932)

In 1933 he joined the Communist party. In 1935 he published his 1st novel Cesspool. In 1936 he began work with the National Negro Congress. In 1937 he left the Communist party due to it being shut down. In 1937 he moved to New York. He became the Harlem editor for the “Daily Worker”.

(Wright in 1937)

In 1938 he became friends with author Ralph Ellison. Also in 1938 he won the “Story” magazine prize. He then wrote Uncle Tom’s Children (1938).

(Wright in 1939)

In 1940 he wrote Native Son. Also in 1940 he went to Chicago. In 1941 Wright received the Spingarn Medal.

(Wright in 1941)

In 1943 the FBI started to monitor Wright. In 1945 he wrote Black Boy. In 1946 he moved to Paris, France.

(Wright in 1946)

In 1947 he became a French citizen. In 1953 he wrote The Outsider. He also became friends with James Baldwin. Also in 1953 he went to Accra, Ghana.

(Wright in 1953)

In 1954 he wrote Savage Holiday. Also in 1954 he wrote Black Power. In 1955 he went to Indonesia. In 1957 he wrote White Man, Listen!.

(Wright in 1957)

In 1958 he wrote The Long Dream. In 1959 Wright became a victim of a virulent attack of amoebic dysentery.

(Wright in 1959)

On November 28th, 1960 Richard Wright died of a heart attack in Paris, France. He was 58 years old.

(Wright in 1960)

Today is his 108th birthday and we would all like to say happy birthday and rest in peace Richard Wright.

Books by Richard Wright

• Uncle Tom's Children (1938)
• The Man Who Was Almost a Man (1939)
• Native Son (1940)
• 12 Million Black Voices: A Folk History of the Negro in the United States (1941)
• Black Boy (1945)
• The Outsider (1953)
• Savage Holiday (1954)
• Black Power (1954)
• The Color Curtain (1956)
• Pagan Spain (1957)
• The Long Dream (1958)