Thurgood Marshall

"Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal."

"None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps."

"If the First Amendment means anything, it means that a state has no business telling a man, sitting alone in his own house, what books he may read or what films he may watch."

"Real effective civilized leadership is taking everybody's situation into account."

"The Constitution means what the judges say it means."

"I wish I could say that racism and prejudice were only distant memories. We must dissent from the indifference."

"You do what you think is right and let the law catch up."

"I have a simple rule about everybody. If you don't like them, never, ever, ever speak ill of them. Just avoid them."

"Education must provide the opportunities for self-fulfillment; it can at best provide a rich context, good examples to follow, as well as knowledge and the skills to think."

"We cannot rest while the rights of any group are abridged."

"The lawyer's job is to dispose of his client's disputes rationally."

"Racism is a disease of the white man."

"I didn't fail, I just found 10,000 ways that wouldn't work."

"Be optimistic. Be kind. Be assured that anger at the way things are is a proper response."

"Wars are not acts of God. They are caused by man, by failures of mankind."

"I'm going to put you all back in Africa."

"The measure of a country's greatness should be based on how well it cares for its most vulnerable populations."

"What does communication lead to? Mutual understanding."

"You'll work in the law. The law is a hard mistress, but she will reward you."

"In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute."

"The Constitution protects us all equally."

"Don't go for second best, baby."

"Dedicated teachers know that teaching is not a profession for the fainthearted."

"It cannot be that the greatest power in the world will simply sit by."

"I came to the conclusion that the treatment of the lowest man in society is the real test of civilization."

"Hate is too great a burden to bear."

"The rights of the individual are paramount, but they cannot override collective societal needs."

"No power was ever given to the people in the history of the world save through struggle and sacrifice."

"Delays in justice is injustice."

"The first duty of a lawyer is to his client."