Thomas D. Gratz

Clarence Thomas, born in 1948 in Pin Point, Georgia, is an American jurist currently serving as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Raised in a Gullah community by his grandfather after his father's departure, Thomas's early life was marked by poverty and a devout Catholic upbringing. He initially considered a religious vocation but turned away from it due to dissatisfaction with the Church's stance on racism.

Thomas pursued higher education, graduating with honors from the College of the Holy Cross and earning a law degree from Yale Law School. His career included roles as an assistant attorney general, private practice, legislative assistant, and Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. He was later appointed Chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit before his Supreme Court nomination by President George H. W. Bush in 1991. His confirmation process was contentious, focusing on accusations of sexual harassment.

Born in a small Georgia community, Thomas's early years were shaped by his father's absence and his upbringing by a maternal grandfather who instilled values of hard work and self-reliance. His grandfather, a successful businessman and a convert to Catholicism, provided Thomas with opportunities for education, sending him to Catholic schools. Thomas's early education exposed him to the limitations of segregation and the importance of rights derived from divine law, as taught by his grandfather. He developed an early interest in intellectual pursuits, spending time at the local library and working on his grandfather's property.

Thomas's journey toward the legal profession included a period at a Catholic seminary, which he left after witnessing racism. This experience, coupled with his involvement in student activism during college, influenced his evolving political and philosophical views. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross and Yale Law School, embarking on a legal career that led him through various government positions before his appointment to the Supreme Court. On the Court, Thomas has become known as a leading proponent of originalism, emphasizing the original meaning of the Constitution in his legal interpretations. He is widely regarded as the Court's most conservative justice.

“I was 19. My only hope was Holy Cross College”