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Remarks to the Press Announcing the Nomination of Thurgood Marshall as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court

June 13, 1967

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen:

I have just talked to the Chief Justice and informed him that I shall send to the Senate this afternoon the nomination of Mr. Thurgood Marshall, Solicitor General, to the position of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court made vacant by the resignation of Justice Tom C. Clark of Texas.

As most of you know, Mr. Marshall is presently serving as Solicitor General. He has served on the second highest court in the land, the Court of Appeals for the State of New York from which place he resigned, at my request, to come here as Solicitor General.

He has argued 19 cases in the Supreme Court since becoming Solicitor General. Prior to that time, he had argued some 33 cases. The statisticians tell me that probably only one or two other living men have argued as many cases before the Court-and perhaps less than half a dozen in all the history of the Nation.

The Solicitor has had some 50-odd cases. He has lost only eight of those cases.

His background will be given you by George Christian.

Mr. Marshall was first in his class at Howard. He has had a distinguished record as private counsel and as Government counsel in the courts of the land. I believe he has already earned his place in history, but I think it will be greatly enhanced by his service on the Court.

I believe he earned that appointment; he deserves the appointment. He is best qualified by training and by very valuable service to the country. I believe it is the right thing to do, the right time to do it, the right man and the right place.

I trust that his nomination will be promptly considered by the Senate.

Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke to the press at 12 noon in the Rose Garden at the White House. During his remarks he referred to Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the United States, and George E. Christian, Special Assistant to the President. Mr. Marshall was present for the announcement.

Lyndon B. Johnson, Remarks to the Press Announcing the Nomination of Thurgood Marshall as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/238376

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