Thurgood Marshall is one of the most well-known figures in the history of civil rights in America and the first Black Supreme Court Justice. He served on the Court for 24 years until June 28, 1991 when he announced his retirement due to advancing age and deteriorating health. He passed away January 24, 1993. Before serving on the Supreme Court, Marshall served as legal director of the NAACP. His tenure, from 1940 to 1961, was a pivotal time for the organization, as …showed first 75 words of 538 total…

…showed last 75 words of 538 total…Of these, one of his best known is a 63 page opinion in _San Antonio School District v Rodriguez_. The court held, 5-4, that the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection was not violated by the property tax system used in Texas and most other states to finance public education. Marshall accused the majority of "unsupportable acquiescence in a system which deprives children in their earliest years of the chance to reach their full potential as citizens."