Essay: Justice Thurgood Marshall, Great Defender of First Amendment Free-Speech Rights for the Powerless

Abstract

This essay explains that Justice Thurgood Marshall’s passionate defense of freedom of expression can be seen most clearly in his defense of free-speech rights even when the government acts not as sovereign, but as warden, employer, or educator. In other words, Marshall’s commitment to free-speech is shown most forcefully by how he consistently protected the free-expression rights of inmates, public employees, and public school students.

Keywords: Justice Thurgood Marshall, Free Speech, First Amendment