Our whole constitutional heritage rebels at the thought of giving government the power to control men's minds.
Thurgood MarshallRead
A child born to a Black mother in a state like Mississippi... has exactly the same rights as a white baby born to the wealthiest person in the United States. It's not true, but I challenge anyone to say it is not a goal worth working for.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the ideal of equal rights for all children, regardless of race or socioeconomic status, while acknowledging the current injustices.
Thurgood Marshall's quote highlights the disparity in rights and opportunities between children born to different racial and economic backgrounds in America. He acknowledges the harsh reality that a Black child born in Mississippi does not possess the same rights as a white child from a wealthy family, yet he encourages the pursuit of equality as a noble goal worth striving for. This statement serves as both a critique of systemic inequities and an inspirational call to action for societal change.
Themes
EqualityRightsJusticeOpportunityRace
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about civil rights during a community meeting.
More from Thurgood Marshall
All quotes →The United States has been called the melting pot of the world. But it seems to me that the colored man either missed getting into the pot or he got melted down.
Thurgood MarshallRead
I cannot accept this invitation [to celebrate the bicentenial of the Constitution], for I do not believe that the meaning of the Constitution was forever 'fixed' at the Philadelphia Convention... To the contrary, the government they devised was defective from the start. [Progressive]
Thurgood MarshallRead
When in Gregg v. Georgia the Supreme Court gave its seal of approval to capital punishment, this endorsement was premised on the promise that capital punishment would be administered with fairness and justice. Instead, the promise has become a cruel and empty mockery. If not remedied, the scandalous state of our present system of capital punishment will cast a pall of shame over our society for years to come. We cannot let it continue.
Thurgood MarshallRead
If the First Amendment means anything, it means that a state has no business telling a man, sitting alone in his house, what books he may read or what films he may watch.
Thurgood MarshallRead
In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.
Thurgood MarshallRead
Similar quotes
We would have every arbitrary barrier thrown down. We would have every path laid open to woman as freely as to man.
Margaret FullerRead
The media says that equality for women has arrived, but if you look around, you still don't see girls playing guitars and having success with it.
Joan JettRead
It's terribly important that we extend the promise of equality that the Supreme Court and that the district court articulated in the DOMA case and in the Perry case to all Americans in all 50 states.
David BoiesRead
I think the problem is, exceptional women will always succeed. But there are plenty of less-exceptional men who succeed. Until we get the less-exceptional women succeeding equally, we do not have full equality.
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Countries with more gender equality have better economic growth. Companies with more women leaders perform better. Peace agreements that include women are more durable. Parliaments with more women enact more legislation on key social issues such as health, education, anti-discrimination and child support. The evidence is clear: equality for women means progress for all.
Ban Ki-MoonRead
The more equality women have, the fairer, more civilized and tolerant society will be. Sexual equality is a lot more effective against terrorism than military strength.
Jose Luis Rodriguez ZapateroRead