Description

Born Pin Point, GeorgiaPresident George H. W. Bush appointed Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court in 1991, making Thomas the second African American (after Thurgood Marshall) to serve on the Court. Raised by his grandparents in Savannah, Thomas briefly considered a religious vocation before attending Holy Cross and then Yale Law School. Influenced by conservative legal thinkers and writers, Thomas gravitated toward the Republican Party. After only a year on the federal bench, Thomas was elevated to the nation’s highest court. His confirmation hearings became a partisan flashpoint after a former employee, Anita Hill, accused him of sexual harassment. Thomas denied the complaint, and he was confirmed by a narrow margin. The issue remains a topic of contention in the political landscape.

Record Contributed By

National Portrait Gallery

Record Harvested From

Smithsonian Institution