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Jackson Creek Middle School
American Heroes: Thurgood Marshall
His Life
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Childhood:
Name: Thurgood Marshall
Where His Name Came From: Thurgood was named after his paternal grandfather, a former slave. His grandfather changed his name to Thoroughgood after he joined the United States Army during the Civil War.
Born: July 2, 1908
Where: West Baltimore, Maryland.
Parents:
Mother: Norma Arica, teacher.
Father: William Canifield Marshall, railroad porter and steward at an all white club.
Path to Law:
1. In school, Thurgood was often loud and a disturbance, so his grade-school principal gave him the usual punishment. Students were sent down to the school basement with a copy of the United States Constitution. They couldn't return to class until a section of the Constitution was memorized. Marshall later said that he knew the whole Constitution before he left school.
2. His father was the first black to serve on a Baltimore grand jury. His parents unintentionally taught him characteristics that are important for a lawyer to have. During his childhood, his parents taught him to argue, by making him prove every statement he made, and by challenging every point he made. Norma Marshall wanted her son to become a dentist, but when she saw the result of what her son did in court, she was glad he became a lawyer.
College:
After Marshall finished high shcool in 1925, he was determined to go to college. However, there were few opportunities for black men to go to college in those times. In the South, it was illegal to accept blacks at white colleges, and white colleges in other parts of the country did not accept a lot of blacks.
Marshall decided to apply to an all-black institution, Lincoln University, in Pennsylvania.
Lincoln University was the nation's oldest all-black college. Lincoln was formed to provide for the "scientific, classical, and theological education of colored youth of the male sex" (p. 33). The college is now open to students of all races, male and female.
Shortly before graduating, Marshall married Vivian Burey on September 4, 1929.
In 1930, Marshall received his A.B. Degree with honors in humanities.
Marshall then went to Howard University's law school.
At Howard, Marshall was assistant in the Howard University law library.
In 1933, Marshall graduated at the top of his class and headed out to Baltimore to start his own law business.
By: Jenny H.
Last updated: 12/14/01
