Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993) ran the legal office for the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) from 1938 to 1961. During this time he and his legal team prevailed in the landmark Supreme Court case "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas," that struck down segregation in public schools. Marshall made history in 1967, when he was sworn in as the first African-American justice of the U. S. Supreme Court. His 24-year tenure was marked by his commitment to defending constitutional rights and affirmative action and by his strong opposition to the death penalty.
This stamp is part of the Black Heritage Stamp Series. Initiated in 1978, the USPS continues to issue a stamp featuring a notable Black American every February in conjunction with Black History Month and at other times during the year.
