Essay: Justice Thurgood Marshall, Great Defender of First Amendment Free-Speech Rights for the Powerless
Howard Human & Civil Rights Law Review, Vol. 2, Issue 1 (2017-2018)
Belmont University College of Law Research Paper No. 2018-19
18 Pages Posted: 6 Aug 2018
Date Written: 2018
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
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