what was thurgood marshall's impact on history
A+E Networks. On this day in 1967, Thurgood Marshall becomes the first African American to be confirmed as a Supreme Court justice. He would remain on the Supreme Court for 24 years before retiring for health reasons, leaving a legacy of upholding the rights of the individual as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
Russ Mitchell tells us that Egypt's Queen Cleopatra, out of fear of being kidnapped, committed suicide on this day. Also, East Timor, with UN sponsored balloting, voted to become independent from Indonesia, and Thurgood Marshall became the first African American to be confirmed as Supreme Court Justice.