Infamous and Influential Supreme Court Justices 

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Supreme Court is that the Justices have the ability to interpret the constitution and make law-binding decisions that may last decades or centuries. Justices may become popular, influential or even infamous over time depending on the decisions they make under the Supreme Court. 

John Marshall

John Marshall, the 4th chief justice, was influential for having defined the relationship between the judiciary and the rest of the government. He established the concept of judicial review and served the longest term at 34 years. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, influential chief justice Earl Warren, made an impact through several cases such as: Brown v. Board of Education, which abolished school segregation; Miranda v. Arizona, which established Miranda Rights; and Loving v. Virginia, which banned interracial marriage prohibitions. 

Hugo Black

Hugo Black is one example of an infamous judge. Sworn in on August 18, 1973, the former KKK member was sworn in as an associate Justice of the Supreme Court. He joined the Klan in 1923, in hopes that his membership would garner political support; but after two years, he resigned. Four years later, he was sworn in as an Alabama Senator. When the public learned about his past membership with the KKK, outrage erupted and controversy spread through the Senate. Although this caused some controversy, Hugo Black managed to redeem his reputation during his time with the Supreme Court. He stated,  “I number among my friends many members of the colored race. I have watched the progress of its members with sympathy and admiration. Certainly, they are entitled to the full measure of protection according to the citizenship of our country by our Constitution and our laws.” During his career, he advocated for Civil Rights and anti-lynching bills to the Senate and voted to desegregate schools, expand freedom of the press and protect housing for minorities. 

Current Supreme Court

It was interesting to learn more about the personal stories of our past Justices and to hear their point of view about the court system. While the Supreme Court is powerful, as the highest court in the land, it is made up of real people, with stories, backgrounds and differing opinions. The video mentioned several of the challenges they face during their career such as the difficulty of changing opinions within the court that may contradict previous opinions. The video takes away the mystery of the Supreme Court and humanizes the justices as they discuss the meaning and importance of their purpose.