Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary

I love reading. Reading for me allows you to have a personal discussion with the author who did the research and much of the leg work in becoming a subject expert on the topic at hand. This book, was NO exception.As a kid, there were 2 black people that were essentially taught in all public schools. Martin Luther King and Thurgood Marshall... I thought, most certainly there had to be more black people in history. Reading this book you discover WHY Thurgood became so popular within American culture.This book uncovers who Thurgood was and what Thurgood did to solidify himself in history. You learn Thrugood's upbringing and why he applied to Howard University instead of University of Maryland where most prominent lawyers of that time went - (I'll give you a hint, certain lawyers of certain complexions were only able to study law in certain places). You learn Thurgood's approach to battling the legal aspect of the Civil Rights issues people of color experienced.You learn about the person, the tactics used against him, you learn about his career path and reasoning behind it.. You learn about how him and MLK didn't get along, how he didn't really respect Martin, maybe it came from a a place of jealousy as it did with most Civil Rights Leaders back then. You learn about Thurgood's disregard for Malcolm X, his disregard for the nation of Islam and what that movement birthed.I think Thurgood's dislike for those groups ultimately pushed him into becoming a Judge. He didn't like that most black people were not sitting around waiting for racist judges to change the law, they were taking the law into their own hands.This book shed a lot of light on Thurgood and his life.. it taught me a lot about the person and WHY America chooses to celebrate him..

As a non-fan of the author from his TV commentary, I was expecting to find this book thinly written and likely hagiographical. Nonetheless, from what I could find, this was the most promising biography of TM, about whom I wanted to learn more. I was pleasantly surprised to find this work well researched and well written. Kudos to the author - I am surprised it did not win more awards.

I loved this intimate look at the emerging history of our 20th century nation. Seeing not just traditional views of the civil rights moment, but developing a deeper perspective on what our constitution demands as equal rights was enlightening. Thurgood Marshall, as controversial and enigmatic as the life he lived, changed the face of our country! Deeply researched and honestly shared!

Justice Marshall's victories as the lead NAACP lawyer in dozens of civil rights cases, beginning in the late-1920s, are astounding when one considers that most of the cases were thought to be unwinnable, given that many took place in the South during Jim Crow. Marshall faced his share of death threats as he represented black defendants who were being accused of rape or murder and faced the death penalty. And most of the time he won. He was accomplishing these legal victories decades before Jackie Robinson and later Martin Luther King became national figures. Because of his excellence in the courtroom as well as his integrity, Marshall more than earned his appointments as a Federal Judge, Solicitor General and Supreme Court Justice. Marshall's life is worth celebrating and Juan Williams did an excellent job telling the Justice's story.

Really loved the book. Always grew up admiring Dr. King, but was taught very little about Justice Marshall. You can clearly make the argument that while Dr. King was the rock star of the civil rights movement, Justice Marshall did much more to improve the lives of minorities. In the pantheon of Civil Rights leader, not sure who would be placed ahead of Justice Marshall, Dr. King included. Really opened my eyes!

Excellent book. I learned a lot about Thurgood Marshall. An amazing person, an outstanding attorney and impressive Supreme Court Justice. Mr. Williams, in a very interesting easy writing style, makes it easy to navigate his book, making it very difficult to put it down. Enjoyed it a lot.

This is a first-rate biography. Juan Williams shed light on Justice Marshall's life prior to the Brown v Board of Education case that I was unaware of and enjoyed immensely. The book only enhanced my respect for both author and subject.

Although an informative book, Juan Williams' Thurgood Marshall is an all too common example of a biography where the strength of the subject is forced to shine through weak writing. It is unfortunate that publishers allow the prominence of radio hosts and television pundits almost free reign to chronicle the lives of important historical figures knowing full well that the combination of names will often outweigh the quality of the book.In this case, Thurgood Marshall is not done justice by Williams. However, considering there are almost no viable alternatives for anyone researching the life of one of the most powerful black man in American history, we must make due.The chapter on the Justice's political maneuvering - Machiavellian Marshall - is particularly strong and interesting. The period after Marshall graduated from law school but before becoming lead counsel for the NAACP is also a crucial look at the formative part of his legal education. Those, I'm sad to say, are the only parts that really dive into what makes Marshall tick. The reader would be better served by more of them.American Revolutionary is by no means a fluff piece or a poorly written work. It is however fairly shallow and not the substantive biography that Marshall (and the public) deserve.

After reading "Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary," it is hard not to think that Thurgood Marshall was the most important civil rights leader of the twentieth century. He isn't as well known as the more famous and romantic personalities of Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X, but he did more to change the average life of black Americans than either of the other two. And as a Supreme Court Justice, he not only advanced the lives of Black Americans but of all minorities too. This book convinced me that a slow and steady attack at the injustices of American life through the courtroom by changing American laws has a far greater impact on people's lives than mass protests and calls for revolution. It is very inspiring book and gives credit to the law profession.I found the debate about integration vs segregation especially interesting. Marshall wholeheartedly believed that the only way to achieve true equality was through complete integration in schools and society. Ironically, many black leaders today argue the opposite; that Black Americans should focus on themselves, in their own communities, their own schools, and on their own culture. I'm not sure which is better, and the debate continues, but it is an important aspect of this book and to understanding Thurgood Marshall and race relations today.The narrative focuses mainly on his law career and the many advances in civil rights law that he helped force, so his private life is not given much attention. The author, of course, mentions his drinking issues and his infidelities, but they are not elaborated upon and so the personal side of Thurgood Marshall is not explored. This is most likely because those closest to him refused to cooperate with the author. Too bad really, because this is a very commendable book. It would have been nice, however, to have had more details on the many cases he fought; especially Brown vs the Board of Education. The author supposes that the reader is thoroughly familiar with this case, so key details are left out, personalities are not discussed, etc...the focus is on the courtroom battle itself and its aftermath. More detail would have enhanced the book greatly. This is also true for the episode of desegregation in Arkansas, and many other courtroom battles.That said, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in race relations in America today.

Brilliant book, an absolute essential for anyone undertaking a historical evaluation of either African American Civil Rights, The US Supreme Court or Thurgood Marshall himself. This book was also extremely interesting in a non-academic capacity as well.

Excellent book.Bought it for knowledge.

Apart from the interesting content of Thurgood's lifestory, the book itself is quite handy and easy to transport.