Thurgood Marshall was born in 1908. He was from Baltimore, Maryland. He became a lawyer in 1933. Lawyers learn about laws. They speak for people in court.

Thurgood got a job in 1934. It was at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He fought for equal rights for black people. This is also called civil rights.

Thurgood traveled a lot. He fought for civil rights in courts all across the country. People began to call him Mr. Civil Rights.

Thurgood argued 32 cases before the Supreme Court. He won 29 of them. The most famous was Brown Versus Board of Education. Until then, black children had to go to separate schools. The law said they were “separate but equal.” But they were not equal. White schools were much better. Thurgood proved this. The Supreme Court to changed the law in 1954. Now black children could go to any school.

Winning this case was a big deal. Thurgood became famous. Many people respected him. Presidents gave him important jobs.

In 1967, President Johnson asked him to work for the Supreme Court. Thurgood was the first black Supreme Court Justice.

There are nine Justices on the Supreme Court. They listen to court cases. They vote to decide which side wins. They change laws for the whole country.

Thurgood was a Justice for 24 years. It was not easy. Most Justices did not agree with his ideas. But Mr. Civil Rights never gave up. He always fought for what he thought was right.