Thurgood Marshall

Awards & Honours

Awards Won

Honours

Rankings

Covers

Records

Thurgood Marshall stands as a monumental figure in American history, having broken the color barrier on the Supreme Court and dismantled legal segregation through relentless litigation. His record of winning 29 of 32 cases before the Supreme Court remains unmatched in the realm of civil rights advocacy. He was the first African American to hold the office of Solicitor General and the first to serve on the Supreme Court, achievements that reshaped the American legal landscape forever. His legacy continues to inspire generations of lawyers and activists dedicated to justice and equality.

AwardsThurgood Marshall received numerous awards and honors throughout his life, though many were posthumous. Notable wins include the NAACP Spingarn Medal in 1946 for the most outstanding achievement by an African American. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1993 by President Bill Clinton, one of the nation's highest civilian honors. He also received the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Lifetime Achievement Award for his lifelong dedication to civil rights.

Honours & Distinctions

National Hall of Fame for Great Americans

National Park Service·1974

Inducted for his contributions to American history and civil rights.

Honorary Doctorates

Harvard, Yale, Howard Universities·1970

Received numerous honorary doctorates for his legal and civil rights work.

Key to the City of Baltimore

City of Baltimore·1967

Awarded the key to the city of his birthplace.

Baltimore-Washington International Airport Renaming

Maryland Aviation Administration·2005

Airport renamed in his honor.

USNS Thurgood Marshall

U.S. Navy·2026

Navy replenishment oiler christened in his honor.

Rankings & Lists

TIME 100 Most Important People of the Century

TIME Magazine·1999

Greatest Legal Minds

Rolling Stone·2010

Great Lawyers of the 20th Century

American Bar Association·1999

Magazine Covers

TIME

June 1967

First Black Supreme Court Justice

Ebony

Various Issues

Civil Rights Leader Profile

Records & Feats

First African American Supreme Court Justice

Historic First·1967

First African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.

Most Supreme Court Wins for Civil Rights Attorney

Career Milestone·1961

Won 29 of 32 cases argued before the Supreme Court.

Highest Dissents on Death Penalty

Legal Record·1991

Dissented in over 1,400 cases regarding the death penalty.