Tom C. Clark, American lawyer and judge, 59th Attorney General of the United States (d. 1977)
Thomas Campbell Clark (September 23, 1899 – June 13, 1977) was an American lawyer who served as the 59th United States Attorney General from 1945 to 1949 and as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1949 to 1967.
Clark was born in Dallas, Texas, and graduated from the University of Texas School of Law after serving in World War I. He practiced law in Dallas until 1937, when he accepted a position in the United States Department of Justice. After Harry S. Truman became President of the United States in 1945, he chose Clark as his Attorney General. In 1949, Truman successfully nominated Clark to fill the Supreme Court vacancy caused by the death of Associate Justice Frank Murphy, making Clark the first and, as of 2021, the only Supreme Court Justice from the state of Texas. Clark remained on the Court until his retirement to allow his son, Ramsey Clark, to assume the position of Attorney General, and was succeeded by the first African American United States Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall.
Clark served on the Vinson Court and the Warren Court. He voted with the Court's majority in several cases concerning racial segregation, including the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education. He wrote the majority opinion in landmark Mapp v. Ohio, which ruled that the Fourth Amendment prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures applies to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment. He also wrote the majority opinion in Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States, which upheld the public accommodations provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the majority opinions in Garner v. Board of Public Works, Joseph Burstyn, Inc. v. Wilson, and Abington School District v. Schempp.
1899Sep, 23
Tom C. Clark
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Events on 1899
- 2Feb
Canberra
The Australian Premiers' Conference held in Melbourne decides to locate Australia's capital city, Canberra, between Sydney and Melbourne. - 4Feb
Battle of Manila (1899)
The Philippine-American War begins with the Battle of Manila. - 6Feb
Treaty of Paris (1898)
Spanish-American War: The Treaty of Paris, a peace treaty between the United States and Spain, is ratified by the United States Senate. - 6Mar
Aspirin
Bayer registers "Aspirin" as a trademark. - 18Apr
Royal charter
The St. Andrew's Ambulance Association is granted a royal charter by Queen Victoria.