Thurgood Marshall

"What matters is not whether you are white or black. What matters is whether you're a good person."

"I spent my early years as a lawyer not even worrying about becoming a judge."

"The question is not whether we can afford to do these things but whether we can afford not to do them."

"Law school was the key that opened the door to all things."

"You can't run away from something that is chasing you when you're not moving fast enough."

"If you don't believe in justice, you don't believe in anything."

"I am not interested in the past. I'm interested in the future."

"The system has to be fixed. That's what I've been trying to do all my life."

"There is no difference between a white brain and a black brain. None."

"I was scared to death when I walked into that courtroom for the first time."

"We must continue to fight for equality and justice until all people are free."

"You can't be a lawyer and not believe in justice. That would be a contradiction."

"The lawyers and judges who don't understand the Constitution are the problem."

"I'm just a lawyer trying to do my job and make America a better place."

"The past gives us lessons. The future is ours to shape."

"You must never forget where you came from. It keeps you humble."

"The Constitution doesn't belong to lawyers. It belongs to the people."

"I'm not trying to be a hero. I'm just trying to do what's right."

"You have to have faith in something bigger than yourself."

"I believe that if you give people a chance, they will rise to the occasion."

"The greatest law school is the one that teaches you to think for yourself."

"What good is freedom if you can't use it?"

"I've never been afraid of the truth. The truth is on our side."

"You don't have to like someone to fight for their rights."

"The number of African American lawyers has grown, but we still have a long way to go."

"I want to live in a world where people are judged by the content of their character."

"You can't separate the law from morality. They are intertwined."

"Every person has the right to a good education. That's not negotiable."

"I have faith that tomorrow will be better than today."

"The Constitution is not just for rich people. It's for everybody."