Carrying the Torch: The Legacy of Thurgood Marshall from His Granddaughter's Perspective
On the 72nd anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, Andrew and Dr. Val sit down with Cecilia Marshall — granddaughter of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and founder of the newly launched Thurgood Marshall Foundation. Together, they reflect on what it means to carry forward a legacy rooted not in individual heroism, but in collective courage, sacrifice, and community responsibility.
Ms. Marshall shares intimate stories of knowing Thurgood Marshall simply as “Grandpa,” and how, only later in life, she came to understand the magnitude of his work and the sacrifices made by the families behind Brown v. Board. The conversation explores the importance of telling these histories honestly — especially to children — and why public schools remain one of our most important democratic institutions.
From the bravery of the 200+ plaintiffs across the five Brown cases, to present-day debates around diversity, public education, and belonging, this episode asks what it means to build bridges in a deeply polarized moment — and what responsibilities we each carry in shaping a more just future for all children.
In honor of the 72nd anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, Integrated Schools is launching the 1954 Campaign.
We are asking you to give:
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Half of the proceeds will support the Thurgood Marshall Foundation and its work preserving and sharing this history with future generations.
LINKS:
- The Thurgood Marshall Foundation
- Integrated Schools 1954 Campaign - Please donate today!
- Justice Marshall's Liberty Medal Acceptance Speech
- Recovering Untold Stories: An Enduring Legacy of the Brown v. Board of Education Decision
- Becoming Thurgood: America's Social Architect - PBS Documentary about Thurgood Marshall
- Brown v Board @ Sixty Five: The Stories We Tell Ourselves (our 5 part series on the Brown decision)
- Ep 18 – Rucker Johnson and the Grandchildren of Desegregation (BvB@65)
- Ep 19 – Segrenomics, Black Teachers, and Noliwe Rooks (BvB@65)
- Ep20 – Amanda Lewis on Desegregation Without Integration (BvB@65
- Ep 21 – Beyond Black and White with David Hinojosa (BvB@65)
- Ep 22 – I Hope They Hear It In Our Voices (BvB@65)
- S7E3 – Generational Work: Stefan Lallinger on Integration
- NAACP Legal Defense Fund
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The Integrated Schools Podcast was created by Courtney Mykytyn and Andrew Lefkowits.d
This episode was produced by Andrew Lefkowits and Val Brown. It was edited, and mixed by Andrew Lefkowits.
Music by Kevin Casey.
The Brown v Board Plaintiffs
The bundle of five cases commonly referred to as Brown v. Board actually contained more than 200 plaintiffs. Below are their names and their associated cases.
Belton v. Gebhart (Bulah v. Gebhart)
Delaware State Court, Wilmington, Delaware
Ethel Belton
Sarah Bulah
Joseph Crumpler
John W. Davis
Emma Fountain
Barbara Byrd Henry
Charles Hill
Lois May Johnson
Mary Johnson
Willie Robinson
John Short
Harlan Trotter
Bolling v. Sharpe
U.S. District Court, Washington, D.C.
Mrs. Sarah Bolling
Spottswood Thomas Bolling
Wanamaker Von Bolling
William Briscoe
Sarah Louise Briscoe
James C. Jennings
Adrienne Jennings
Barbara Jennings
Consolidated Parent Group, Inc.
Briggs et al v. Elliott et al.
U.S. District Court, Eastern Division, Charleston, South Carolina
James Bennett
Onetha Bennett
Harry Briggs
Robert Georgia
Annie Gibson
Gilbert H. Henry
Susan Lawson
Frederick Oliver
Mary Oliver
Mose Oliver
Bennie Parson
Edward Ragin
Hazel Ragin
William Ragin
Lee Richardson
Lucrisher Richardson
Rebecca Richburg
Henry Scott
William Stukes
Gabriel Tindal
Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County
U.S. District Court, Richmond, Virginia
Hal Edward Allen (father)
Hal Verner Allen (son)
Margaret G. Allen (grandmother)
James Henry C. Allen (grandson)
Margaret G. Allen (mother)
Herman Alexander Allen (son)
Florence Gertrude Allen (daughter)
Thomas H. Allen (father)
Herman Wesley Allen (son)
Thelma Leola Allen (daughter)
Ellen Banks (guardian)
John Banks, Jr. (guardee)
Frankie Louise Berkeley
Eddie Bigger (father)
Virginia Bigger (daughter)
Katie H. Bigger
Leonard R. Bland (father)
Floyd M. Bland (son)
Reginald W. Bland (son)
Clara S. Booker (mother)
Blanche A. Booker (daughter)
Ronald O.F. Booker (son)
Joseph E. Booker (father)
Loretta Booker (daughter)
Carrie Brown James Brown (father)
Phillip J. Brown (son)
Nelson Carey (father)
Mary Lizzie Carey (daughter)
Anna Bell Carey (daughter)
John Davis
Rosa Bell Davis
Isaiah Dennis (father)
Adline Dennis (daughter)
Charlie Dupuy (father)
Pauline Dupuy (daughter)
Susie Earley (mother)
Bertha E. Earley (daughter)
Helen Virginia Epps (mother)
Alma D. Epps (daughter)
Helen M. Epps (daughter)
Agnes Farrar (guardian)
Walker Camp Farrar (guardee)
Alice Fowlkes (guardian)
Alexander Fowlkes (guardee)
Leroy McCormick (guardee)
Amanda Goode
Frances Goode (mother)
Willie L. Goode (son)
Katherine Goode (daughter)
Dolly M. Goode (daughter)
Harry S. Hall
Thomas Hall (guardian)
Mary E. Couch (guardee)
Elsie Hargwood (mother)
Junita Hargwood (daughter)
Virginia Harris (mother)
Ethel D. Harris (daughter)
C.W. Hicks (father)
Deloris Hicks (daughter)
Marjorie Hicks (daughter)
Inez O. Hicks
Sarah Elizabeth Hicks (mother)
Leigh Edward Hicks (son)
Mosley Jefferson (father)
Dorothy Alice Jefferson (daughter)
Carrie Irene Jefferson (daughter)
Robert Johns (father)
Barbara Rose Johns (daughter)
Joan Marie Johns (daughter)
Kate Johnson (mother)
Burnell Johnson, Jr. (son)
Jasper W. Jones (father)
Peter Jasper Jones (son)
John Paul Jones (son)
Nannie Lee (mother)
George Lee (son)
Sopophonie Miller (mother)
Mattie Jean Miller (daughter)
Herman Monroe (father)
John Monroe (son)
Harry Monroe (son)
Richard Monroe (son)
Emma H. Morton
Mary Moton
Viola W. Neal (mother)
Catherine Neal (daughter)
Lee Emmett Neal (son)
Alma Randle (mother)
Rosetta E. Randle (daughter)
Ethel L. Randle (daughter)
Martin R. Randle (son)
Silas Redd (father)
Gladys E. Redd (daughter)
Charlie Redd (son)
Nellie J. Richardson (mother)
Jeanel E. Richardson (daughter)
Anita Louise Richardson (daughter)
Pinkie Rowlette (guardian)
Reginald Rowlette (guardee)
Alice Goins (guardee)
Rowland D. Saunders (father)
Vernethia C. Saunders (daughter)
Henry Scott (father)
Henry Scott, Jr. (son)
Otis Scott (father)
John Henry Scott (son)
Walter Wallace Scott (son)
Thomas H. Scott
P.H. Shepperson (father)
Lester Shepperson (son)
Florine Shepperson (daughter)
Willie Lee Shepperson (son)
Louise Sims (mother)
Helen L. Sims (daughter)
Rebecca A. Sims (daughter)
Sallie Spencer (mother)
Mary L. Spencer (daughter)
James Spencer (son)
Alice M. Stokes (mother)
John Arthur Stokes (son)
Carrie Stokes (daughter)
Jannie Streat (mother)
Mary E. Streat (daughter)
Pattie Taylor (mother)
Dorothy L. Taylor (daughter)
W. Howard Thompson (father)
Frances Thompson (daughter)
Rachel J. Thomson (daughter)
John Townsend (father)
Mildred Junita Townsend (daughter)
Arlene Shirley Townsend (daughter)
Mary Trent (mother)
Barbara Reese Trent (daughter)
Rose Marie Trent (daughter)
Mattie Vaughan (mother)
Calvin A. Vaughan (son)
Maude E. Walker (mother)
John Junius Walker (son)
Maude Estelle Walker (daughter)
Theophilus Walker (father)
Edward Leon Walker (son)
Mabel Gertrude Walker (daughter)
John L. Watkins (father)
Stella Watkins (daughter)
John Watson, Sr. (father)
John Watson, Jr. (son)
Eva Werkler (mother)
Rosa M. Werkler (daughter)
Myrtle V. West (mother)
Metteaner S. West (son)
W.C. West (father)
Barbara Jean West (daughter)
Olivia Wiley (mother)
Ettal L. Wiley (daughter)
Frank Williams (father)
Bessie Williams (daughter)
Mildred Williams (daughter)
Louise Willis Amelia Womack (mother)
Clarence W. Womack (son)
Aubrey D. Womack (son)
Bert S. Womack (father)
Elizabeth Womack (daughter)
Leslie Woolridge
Oliver L. Brown et al v. Board of Education of Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas
U.S. District Court, Topeka, Kansas
Oliver Leon Brown
Darlene Brown
Lena M. Carper
Sadie Emmanuel
Marguerite Emmerson*
Shirla Fleming
Mrs. Andrew (Zelma) Henderson
Shirley Hodison
Mrs. Richard (Maude) Lawton
Alma Lewis
Iona Richardson
Vivian Scales
Lucinda Todd
*Marguerite Emerson's name was misspelled on the original court documents
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