Thurgood Marshall: A Great Influence on Law and Equality“In one section, at least of our common country, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people means a government of the mob” (Hitzeroth and Leon 13). This is an excerpt from a newspaper article written by journalist Ida B. Wells-Barnett, who was examining the conditions under which African Americans were treated in the South in the early 1900s (Hitzeroth and Leon 12). Thurgood Marshall overcame discrimination by pursuing his dream of becoming a lawyer despite the racism that surrounded him at the time, becoming the first African-American Supreme Court justice and fighting for equal rights for all people. Thurgood Marshall overcame discrimination with his dream of entering the legal field despite the racism that surrounded him at the time. “Thurgood Marshall, the great-grandson of a slave, grew up in the South and experienced racism and discrimination firsthand” (Hitzeroth and Leon 9). Because he grew up in the South, a more racist part of the country, he already experienced racism at a young age. He could not shop at the same store, sit in the same section of the bus, or attend the same schools as white children and white people in general (Hitzeroth and Leon 9-10). Additionally, he was an honors student, but was denied admission to the University of Maryland law school due to the color of his skin (Hitzeroth and Leon 10). Despite all these events, he still chose to pursue a legal career. Part of this may be because his father taught him to respect the United States Constitution and the authority of the law (Thurgood Marshall biography). Furthermore, "author John Egerton wrote in his book Speak Now Against the Day, 'In the courtrooms, black lawyers were extremely... middle of paper..., the combined fighting forces of Thurgood Marshall and the others The “fighters” of the civil rights movement were an important part of the fight for equality for all Americans. Thurgood Marshall said in his July 4, 1992 speech: “Break down the walls that divide . Reach; freedom lies just on the other side” (Hitzeroth and Leon 99). Works Cited “Thursday Marshall ." The Sixties in America. Ed. Singleton Carlo. 3 vols.Salem Press, 1999. History of Salem. Network. 21 March 2014. "Biography of Thurgood Marshall". Biography of Thurgood Marshall. Thurgood Marshall College and Web. 19 March 2014.Tushnet, Marco. “Marshall, Thurgood.” Student of the World Book. Book of the World, 2014. Web. 21 March 2014.