Thurgood Marshall: Civil Rights Champion
Streaming February 1 - March 3, 2024
This streaming production illuminates the life and legacy of Thurgood Marshall, the first African American to be appointed to the Supreme Court. In collaboration with Stage West and Fort Worth native Major Attaway, this inspiring, curriculum-based production focuses on the long-lasting impact Marshall had as a Supreme Court justice.
“There is something so powerful in learning about how Thurgood Marshall saw that the law was the law, even though it wasn’t created entirely in his benefit,” said Attaway, who stars as the title character, in an interview with fwtx.com (Jan. 28, 2021). “It just gives me chills just thinking about how he decided to use the weapon that was created and learn it so well that he could use it against the people who created it — to fix it. He says, ‘I’m not going to waste time by asking them if they understand. I’m going to show them it’s ridiculous by fixing it and by being at the top of it.’”
Attaway, who grew up in Fort Worth and has gone on to perform on Broadway (most notably as the Genie in Disney's ALADDIN), stars alongside eight FWISD area students.
This streaming production was filmed remotely and designed to emulate a conversation between Thurgood Marshall, during the prime of his life, with students of the present day. The conversation dives into some of Marshall’s most notable achievements, including the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, as well as his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.
Want to learn more about Thurgood Marshall? Check out these additional reading materials:
Thurgood Marshall: Childhood of Famous Americans by Montrew Dunham
Young Thurgood: The Making of a Supreme Court Justice by Larry Gibson
Thurgood Marshall: Trailblazers of the Modern World by Geoffrey Horn
Amazing Americans: Thurgood Marshall by Kristin Kemp
Thurgood by Jonah Winter
Intended Audience: 4th - 6th Grade. Running Time: 31 minutes.