What was John Marshall Harlan's famous quote?
Asked by: Seth Hoeger | Last update: February 14, 2026Score: 4.9/5 (54 votes)
John Marshall Harlan's most famous quote, from his dissent in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), is: "Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens," asserting that in civil rights, all citizens are equal before the law, regardless of race. He also famously added, "The law regards man as man, and takes no account of his surroundings or of his color when his civil rights as guaranteed by the supreme law of the land are involved".
What was John Marshall's quote?
"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here." "It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is." Chief Justice Marshall is depicted several times in the art and architecture of the Supreme Court Building.
What did John Marshall Harlan say about Plessy v. Ferguson?
In respect of civil rights, all citizens are equal before the law.” --John Marshall Harlan. The words above were written in 1896, as a dissent in the hallmark civil rights case of Plessy v. Ferguson, by Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court John Marshall Harlan.
What was John Marshall Harlan known for?
Harlan became known as the Great Dissenter for his fearlessness in diverging from the Court, often on his own. His most famous dissent came in Plessy v. Ferguson, in which the Court condoned the "separate but equal" theory of racial segregation.
Who said the Constitution is colorblind?
"Our constitution is colorblind." It was Marshall's favorite Harlan quotation, and is now so familiar that we take it for granted. But to get to the point of coining it in his great dissent of 1896, John Harlan of Kentucky, one-time slave owner and defender of slavery, had to come a very long way.
Book Talk—The Great Dissenter: The Story of John Marshall Harlan, America’s Judicial Hero
Why is saying "I don't see color" racist?
It misses the fact that all people do in fact see race, and that we develop racial biases starting from a very young age. Leaning into a colorblind mentality leaves proponents less equipped to recognize or engage in difficult conversations about race and racism.
Is Bill Gates colorblind?
Yes, Bill Gates is colorblind, a fact he revealed in 2016, and it's noted that he's even influenced design choices, like creating a colorless mode in the game Zuma, because of his color vision deficiency (CVD). He is listed among other famous individuals with color blindness.
What made John Marshall famous?
A towering figure in American legal history, John Marshall served as chief justice of the United States Supreme Court for more than three decades, during which time he helped increase the power and prestige of the Federal court system.
Were there two justice Harlans?
John Marshall Harlan was a justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1877 to 1911, and his grandson, also named John Marshall Harlan, served on the Court from 1955 to 1971.
How tall is John Marshall Harlan?
John Marshall Harlan was an unconventional figure for a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. He stood over 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 240 pounds. He wore brightly colored clothing, drank bourbon, chewed tobacco, and played baseball and golf in his free time.
What did Supreme Court justice John Marshall Harlan say about the Constitution?
In view of the constitution, in the eye of the law, there is in this country no superior, dominant, ruling class of citizens. There is no caste here. Our constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens.
What does Justice Harlan believe will come from this ruling?
In his most famous and eloquent dissent, Harlan held that “our Constitution is color-blind,” that “in this country there is no superior, dominant ruling class of citizens,” and that it is wrong to allow the states to “regulate the enjoyment of citizens' civil rights solely on the basis of race.” Harlan predicted that ...
Why did Harlan dissent?
The lone dissenter was Justice John Marshall Harlan, himself a former slaveholder from Kentucky. While Harlan had opposed the Thirteenth Amendment (which abolished slavery), the experience of seeing brutal attacks on African Americans in the immediate post-Civil War years apparently changed him.
What was General Marshall's quote?
After several years of ill health, Marshall died in October 1959 at the age of 78 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery where his words, “The only way human beings can win a war is to prevent it,” are immortalized. Other Marshall quotes of note: “Military power wins battles, but spiritual power wins wars.”
What is the best military quote?
There's no single "best" military quote, as it depends on what resonates, but popular choices highlight duty, bravery, leadership, and sacrifice, like General Patton's "Make the mind run the body," Churchill's tribute to the few for the many, G.K. Chesterton's idea that soldiers fight for what's behind them, or Sun Tzu's wisdom on knowing the enemy and yourself. Other powerful quotes focus on the harsh reality of war, such as Robert E. Lee's "It is well that war is so terrible," or the poignant Jeff Miller quote about leaving no veteran behind.
What is the most famous quote about justice?
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Who is the most powerful judge in the United States?
The most powerful judge in the United States is generally considered to be the Chief Justice of the United States, currently John G. Roberts, Jr., because he leads the Supreme Court, heads the entire federal judiciary, and holds significant influence in shaping legal precedent and the Court's direction, even if his vote is just one of nine. His power comes from judicial leadership, managing close cases, and influencing the institutional reputation of the Supreme Court.
Did justice Harlan own slaves?
Harlan's attitudes toward slavery remained complex throughout the war. He owned a few household slaves and did not emancipate them until forced to by the Thirteenth Amendment in December 1865, which he described as "a flagrant invasion of the right of self-government."
How many slaves did John Marshall own?
At the time of Marshall's death in 1835, he held nearly 200 individuals in bondage. In 1823, Marshall became the first president of the Richmond branch of the American Colonization Society, an agency dedicated to sending free Black people to the West African colony of Liberia.
Who was the greatest Chief Justice of all time?
While "greatest" is subjective, John Marshall (4th Chief Justice) is overwhelmingly considered the most influential for establishing judicial review and federal power, laying the Supreme Court's foundation. Other contenders for impact include Earl Warren, known for civil rights, and Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., celebrated for his jurisprudence, but Marshall's foundational role in shaping American law sets him apart for many, earning him the moniker "the Great Chief Justice".
Was John Marshall a Freemason?
John Marshall was also a Freemason, a member of Richmond Lodge No. 13, now No. 10, and served as Grand Master of Masons in Virginia from 1794 to 1795 of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free, and Accepted Masons of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Does Bill Gates believe in God?
Bill Gates describes his beliefs as complex: he doesn't identify as a strict atheist but rather someone who finds it "makes sense to believe in God," though he doesn't know how it changes his life, and he deeply values the moral systems of religion, raising his children in a religious way and participating in Catholic church activities with his family, while also acknowledging science's role in explaining the world. He emphasizes that his core value of helping others is similar to those of deeply religious people, even if he lacks specific religious knowledge.
What kills river blindness?
The treatment of choice for onchocerciasis is ivermectin, which has shown to reduce the occurrence of blindness and to reduce the occurrence and severity of skin symptoms. Ivermectin kills the microfilariae but not adult worms.