Then check this out! Thurgood Marshall (July 2, 1908 – January 24, 1993) was an American lawyer and civil rights activist who served as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from October 1967 until October 1991. Born in the late 1950's, I was impressed with what I didn't know about the history behind my country's racial struggles. Even though I knew the history, reading about it from this perspective made it new to me, and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. "—Judge A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., from the ForewordCharles Hamilton Houston (1895-1950) left an indelible mark on American law and society. Be the first to ask a question about Root and Branch. --Judge A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., from the Foreword Charles Hamilton Houston (1895-1950) left an indelible mark on American law and society. He earned the title "The Man Who Killed Jim Crow". Historians, Lawyers, African American Studies. It is also a moving tribute to a visionary black lawyer, Charles Hamilton Houston, “the man who killed Jim Crow.” By guiding students through the world of segregation sanctioned by the 1896 Plessey v. Ferguson decision, the cases Houston waged during the 1930s, and the final triumph in 1954 of Brown v. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published Root and Branch is the compelling story of the fiercely committed laywers that constructed the legal foundation for what we now call the civil rights movement. Charles Houston was one of the most important civil rights attorneys in American history. One of Houston's students at Howard was a brash young man named Thurgood Marshall. Directed by Helaine Head. Tuesday - Sunday: 2PM - 6PM, It's Complicated--Contact us for more info, Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - Histor, Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights. The account alternates between Thrugood and his Mentor as their lives come together and how they work toward the common goal of equal rights. Life without Parole: America's New Death Penalty? I have certainly seen my share of racism in my life, but can not fathom a time where there could be such rampant discrimination(although that rabbit trail is not worth fo. I have certainly seen my share of racism in my life, but can not fathom a time where there could be such rampant discrimination(although that rabbit trail is not worth following here). I never thought that a book about historical law could be so fascinating and compelling. Groundwork: Charles Hamilton Houston and the Struggle for Civil Rights. Like all turning point history, Brown v. Board of Education was far more complicated than one case--this legal history outlines the 25 year path from Charles Hamilton Houston's reorganization of the Howard Law School as a boot camp for civil rights lawyers, and the evolving strategy of insisting on state fulfilling separate but equal in Murray v. Maryland, inclusion of African Americans on juries in Hale v. Kentucky, eroded real estate covenants in Shelley, integrated graduate schools in Sipuel and McLaurin v. Oklahoma, integrated railroad unions in Steele v. Louisville and Nashville Railroad and all-white primaries in Smith v. Allwright. The story of the lives of Charles Hamilton Houston and Thurgood Marshall was interesting, espcially when their lives intersected. The Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education is widely considered a seminal point in the battle to end segregation, but it was in fact the culmination of a decades-long legal campaign. The author takes the reader on a journey through the crucial legal cases of these men's careers, each of which is riveting on its own terms and offers a window into a recent American past that still held African Americans under systemic discrimination. Any teach who has ever had a prize student go on to shine knows how Houston must have felt. Like all turning point history, Brown v. Board of Education was far more complicated than one case--this legal history outlines the 25 year path from Charles Hamilton Houston's reorganization of the Howard Law School as a boot camp for civil rights lawyers, and the evolving strategy of insisting on state fulfilling separate but equal in Murray v. Maryland, inclusion of African Americans on juries in Hale v. Kentucky, eroded real estate covenants in Shelley, integrated graduate schools in Sipuel. Fantastic discussion of the actual litigation and strategies associated with the American Civil Rights Movement. "A classic. It shows the many struggles the two faced working to reach equality for all and the many court cases they won while working their way up to larger scale cases as their reputations in the legal community grew . It wasn't just the Brown v. Board of Education, but many in the decades prior to this decision. Looking forward to stsrting it soon. Because of this, however, I find it encouraging and exciting to learn of the struggle that took place for folks that are not Caucasian males to overcome and begin to gain appropriate standards for all. I. Rawn James’ “Root and Branch” is an interesting deep dive into the pre-Brown v. Board of Education life of Thurgood Marshall and a fascinating review of the long-term strategy devised by Marshall’s mentor, Charles Hamilton Houston, to achieve the landmark Supreme Court decision. Charles Hamilton Houston, (born September 3, 1895, Washington, D.C., U.S.—died April 22, 1950, Washington, D.C.), American lawyer and educator instrumental in laying the legal groundwork that led to U.S. Supreme Court rulings outlawing racial segregation in public schools.. Houston graduated as one of six valedictorians from Amherst College (B.A., 1915). Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. We are still largely segregated and thus largely disconnected with what it means to be and love a human being. If one is interested in the fight against Racism and Segregation then Rawn James, Jr's. I highly reccommend it to anyone who thinks they know how these legal battles unfolded. Great historical narrative of the important NAACP legal work done by Charles Hamilton Houston and Thurgood Marshall. 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