James Oberstar: “I strongly support H.R. 988, to name the U.S. Courthouse at 40 Centre Street in New York City in honor of former Supreme…”

“I strongly support H.R. 988, to name the U.S. Courthouse at 40 Centre Street in New York City in honor of former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. The naming of the federal courthouse after Justice Marshall is a fitting tribute to one of the most important lawyers and Justices in American history. During his arguments as attorney for the plaintiffs in the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education, Marshall was asked to define ``equal'' by Justice Frankfurter. Marshall responded that: ``Equal means getting the same thing, at the same time, and in the same place.'' This statement encapsulates Justice Marshall's values and what he tried to achieve during a lifetime of fighting for those who were unable to fight for themselves. Justice Marshall's long journey took him from a humble beginning as the grandson of a slave in a time and place where segregation and racism were strong barriers, and ended with him becoming the first black Justice of the Supreme Court.”