Who was the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court?

Study for the American History AIR Test. Explore questions with hints and explanations. Prepare to excel and ensure your success!

Thurgood Marshall was the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court, making a significant mark on American history. Appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1967, he served until 1991. Marshall is well-known for his role in civil rights advocacy, particularly for his work as a lawyer for the NAACP, where he argued landmark cases including Brown v. Board of Education, which was pivotal in the fight against racial segregation in public schools.

His appointment to the Supreme Court was historic, as it represented a breakthrough for representation of African Americans at the highest levels of the judicial system. Thurgood Marshall's legacy extends beyond his time on the court; he was a leading figure in the struggle for civil rights and social justice, influencing legal and societal views on equality and justice in the United States.

The other individuals listed, while influential in their own rights, were not judges or Supreme Court justices. George Washington Carver was an agricultural scientist, Frederick Douglass was a prominent abolitionist and orator, and W.E.B. Du Bois was a co-founder of the NAACP and a key figure in the development of sociology. None of these figures served on the Supreme Court, thus underscoring Marshall's

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