During observance of the bicentennial of the Constitution…
““During observance of the bicentennial of the Constitution in 1987, Justice Thurgood Marshall made a public attack upon the celebration in which he disparaged the achievements of the Constitutional Convention and said that he did not "find the wisdom, foresight, and sense of justice exhibited by the framers particularly profound." According to Marshall, the original Constitution was defective because it excluded women and Negroes from the right of suffrage, and, most egregiously, it perpetuated and reinforced the institution of slavery. The men of 1787 actually contributed little, he maintained, to the modern American constitutional system, with its "respect for individual freedoms and human rights."sl””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Justice Thurgood Marshall criticized the Constitution for its original exclusions and flaws, arguing it lacked wisdom and justice despite later freedoms.
In simple terms: Marshall called the original Constitution flawed and unjust.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge historical injustices when assessing legal foundations.
Themes
law
history
justice
civil rights
critique
Mood
critical
thought‑provoking
Type
analytical
reflective
When to use this quote
- legal education
- civil rights advocacy
- policy reform discussions
- historical commemorations
Key Concepts
constitutional analysis
social equity
historical revisionism
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we reconcile past injustices with present freedoms?
- What reforms are still needed today?
A Different Perspective
Some view the Constitution’s evolution as sufficient without critique.