August 30, 1967

Thurgood Marshall Supreme Court confirmation

The Senate confirms Thurgood Marshall's Supreme Court nomination

The man facing the 69–11 roll call had already argued 32 cases before the Supreme Court and won 29 of them. He still could not take his seat that day.

69 for, 11 against

On 30 August 1967 the U.S. Senate confirmed Thurgood Marshall as an associate justice of the Supreme Court, for the seat Tom C. Clark had vacated. The recorded vote was 69 in favor, 11 opposed.

The tally does not cover the whole hundred-member chamber: twenty senators did not vote. Marshall became the first African American confirmed for a seat on the Court.

78 days from nomination

Johnson had sent the nomination to the Senate on 13 June. The Judiciary Committee held five hearing days and reported it favorably, 11–5, on 3 August.

That put 78 days between nomination and confirmation. Marshall was still serving as U.S. solicitor general throughout.

Confirmed is not seated

Marshall's judicial commission was issued the same day, completing the presidential appointment. He had not yet taken the Court's judicial oath.

Hugo Black administered the constitutional oath on 1 September. The judicial oath came in open court on 2 October 1967, when Marshall's Supreme Court service officially began.

Sources

Researched 23 Aug 2026 9 sources 2 audit passes

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