Easy Readers/Chapter Books
Thurgood Marshall had an amazing career. Born in 1908 in Baltimore, Maryland, this grandson of slaves rose to the most prominent position in American Law as a Supreme Court Justice.
As a young man he applied to the Law School at the University of Maryland, but he was denied admission because of his race. After graduating from Howard University, Marshall took his education and won an important legal decision (1933) for another black student against the very university that had denied him entrance. He won that case as he was to win many, many others. Winning, in fact, more cases before the Supreme Court than any other individual in history.
Thurgood Marshall was important to American History because he challenged and changed the way the the United States Constitution was interpreted. Possibly his most important victory was Brown vs The Board of Education.
As a young man he applied to the Law School at the University of Maryland, but he was denied admission because of his race. After graduating from Howard University, Marshall took his education and won an important legal decision (1933) for another black student against the very university that had denied him entrance. He won that case as he was to win many, many others. Winning, in fact, more cases before the Supreme Court than any other individual in history.
Thurgood Marshall was important to American History because he challenged and changed the way the the United States Constitution was interpreted. Possibly his most important victory was Brown vs The Board of Education.
For a more indepth online biography see:
- http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/122/hill/marshall.htm
- http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/The-Home-Forum/2008/0212/p18s04-hfks.html
For a brief profiles suitable for young children see:
Other pages:
- http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/detail/thurgood-marshall-makes-a-difference-lesson-plan/
- http://www.apples4theteacher.com/coloring-pages/black-history/thurgood-marshall.html
All of the books below provide an introduction to the life of Justice Marshall -- the the first African American justice on the Supreme Court. We wish there were more review information we could provide, but alas there are no reviews at Amazon and few at GoodReads.
Thurgood Marshall
by Helen Frost
- Paperback: 24 pages
- Publisher: Capstone Press (2003)
- ISBN-10: 0736833773
- amazon
Technical Stuff
Word Count: 201
Reading Level: 2.5
Interest Level: Elementary
Accelerated Reading level: 2.5 / points: 0.5 / quiz: 68111
Thurgood Marshall
by Don McLeese
Notes: This book has a two-page format. On one page there is a paragraph of text, and on the facing page is a black-and-white photo.
We suggest this book as a 'library find' or else as a book for the classroom.
We suggest this book as a 'library find' or else as a book for the classroom.
Chapter Headings:
"Mr. Civil Rights"
Grandson of a Slave
Great Student
College Protest
"Whites Only"
Civil Rights Law
A Big Case
Famous Lawyer
Supreme Justice
Glossary
Index
Further Reading/Websites to Visit
Sample text:
GREAT STUDENT
Both of his parents believed in a good education. Thurgood made them proud because he was so smart in school. In those days, African Americans usually went to different schools than white students. The law said schools could be "separate but equal". Thurgood knew that if the schools were separate, they weren't really equal.
- Library Binding: 24 pages
- Publisher: Rourke Publishing (2002)
- ISBN-10: 1589523032
- amazon
Technical Stuff
Word Count: 468
Reading Level: 3.9
Interest Level: Elementary
Accelerated Reading level: 3.9 / points: 0.5 / quiz: 62172
Thurgood Marshall, Supreme Court Justice
by Garnet Jackson
- Hardcover: 26 pages
- Publisher: Modern Curriculum (1994)
- ISBN-10: 0813652375
- amazon
Technical Stuff
Word Count: 632
Reading Level: 4.0
Interest Level: Elementary
Accelerated Reading level: 4.0 / points: 0.5 / quiz: 59829
Thurgood Marshall
by Christine Taylor-Butler
GoodReads: 3.00 avg rating — 2 ratings
- Paperback: 32 pages
- Publisher: Children's Press (2006)
- ISBN-10: 0516270990
- Look Inside
- amazon
Technical Stuff
Word Count: 561
Reading Level: 4.3
Interest Level: Elementary
Accelerated Reading level: 4.3 / points: 0.5 / quiz: 105606
Thurgood Marshall: Civil Rights Champion
by Judy Monroe
- Library Binding: 32 pages
- Publisher: Capstone Press (2005)
- ISBN-10: 0736843493
- amazon
Technical Stuff
Word Count: 1,549
Reading Level: 4.5
Interest Level: Elementary
Accelerated Reading level: 4.5 / points: 0.5 / quiz: 89620
Thurgood Marshall: A Photo-Illustrated Biography
by Karen Bush Gibson
- Library Binding: 24 pages
- Publisher: Bridgestone Books (2002)
- ISBN-10: 0736811133
- amazon
Technical Stuff
Word Count: 1,135
Reading Level: 4.7
Interest Level: Elementary
Accelerated Reading level: 4.7 / points: 0.5 / quiz: 56358
A Picture Book of Thurgood Marshall (Picture Book Biography)
by David A. Adler
GoodReads: 3.33 avg rating — 3 ratings
A Parents' Choice Approval. (Parents' Choice, 1999) -- From Parents' Choice®
- Paperback: 32 page
- Publisher: Holiday House (1999)
- ISBN-10: 0823415066
- amazon
Technical Stuff
Word Count: 1,391
Reading Level: 5.6
Interest Level: Elementary
Accelerated Reading level: 5.6 / points: 0.5 / quiz: 20902
Lexile: AD860L
For other books on important men and women in the Equal Rights movement, see our Index.