How Thurgood Marshall helped shape the Civil Rights movement

Published September 9, 2025 at 4:00 AM EDT

a man smiles while wearing a suit and glasses in a black and white photo — Thurgood Marshall smiles as he sits in a Supreme Court Building office following ceremony at which Marshall was sworn in as the High Court's newest justice in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 1, 1967.

As the U.S. Supreme Court continues to stay in the headlines, a new one-hour documentary explores the life and legacy of Thurgood Marshall.

The film draws on archival recordings, personal photographs, and exclusive interviews to offer a portrait of a man who helped reshape our nation’s democracy — even before he became the first Black justice on the Supreme Court.

On Cincinnati Edition, we discuss the life and legacy of Thurgood Marshall.

The new documentary “Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect” premieres 10 p.m. Tuesday on CET, PBS.org and the PBS app.

Guest:

Wil Haygood, author of “Showdown: Thurgood Marshall and the Supreme Court Nomination that Changed America”

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