Who became the first Black justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1967?

The person who became the first Black justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1967 was Thurgood Marshall.

President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated Marshall in June 1967, and the Senate confirmed him in August. He took his seat on October 2, 1967, succeeding Justice Tom C. Clark. Marshall served on the Court until 1991.

Before joining the judiciary, Marshall was the NAACP’s chief legal strategist. He argued many cases before the Supreme Court, most famously Brown v. Board of Education, which challenged segregated public schools. His legal work helped turn constitutional equality into a practical civil-rights battleground.

Marshall’s appointment followed his service as solicitor general of the United States, making him the first Black person to hold that office as well. He was succeeded on the Supreme Court by Justice Clarence Thomas in 1991.