Thurgood Marshall Center Trust Inc.

08/23/2026

New Orleans mourns civil rights icon Jerome 'Big Duck' Smith

Longtime civil rights activist Jerome "Big Duck" Smith has died at ...

08/07/2026

Today marks the 61st anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, signed into law on August 6, 1965.

President Lyndon B. Johnson introduced the Voting Rights Act to Congress in March 1965, the same month that voter registration protests intensified in Selma, Alabama. The violence there added pressure on Congress to act, and the bill was signed into law on August 6, 1965.

The legislation outlawed literacy tests, poll taxes in federal elections, and other obstacles to voting.

The passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act led to dramatic increases in Black voter registration and the election of more African Americans to state and local office.

📸 Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Frances Albrier Collection.

07/13/2026

Update: Applications CLOSED!

Thank you for your interest in the Barbers and Beauticians program. Due to an overwhelming response that exceeded our expectations, the application period has officially closed earlier than anticipated. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

07/02/2026

07/02/2026

Today we honor civil rights lawyer, jurist and the first African-American appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court Thurgood Marshall on his birthday!

07/02/2026

Today, we celebrate the birthday of Thurgood Marshall, our founding father and a champion for justice whose legacy continues to shape our work. On his birthday, we honor his leadership, his courage, and his unwavering belief that the law can be a force for equality.

Before becoming the first Black Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, Marshall founded LDF to challenge racial discrimination through the courts and successfully argued Brown v. Board of Education, the case that ended legally sanctioned school segregation.

From church basements to the Supreme Court, we have continued his fight for freedom and equal treatment under the law for the last 86 years.

07/02/2026

As we Celebrate Justice Marshall's 118th Birthday, we'd love to hear your thoughts.

What does Justice mean to YOU? Share your answer in the comments or record a short video and post it. Your story, perspective, or experience could inspire someone else.

Let's honor Justice Marshall's legacy by starting conversations that continue his work and remind us why justice still matters! ⚖️

07/01/2026

The Student Bus Protest That Challenged Jim Crow

On May 14, 1944, four women from Howard University left a picnic at...

07/01/2026

“What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July?” Frederick Douglass asked that question more than 170 years ago—and it continues to spark reflection today. Read one of the most influential speeches in American history.

See more here: https://bit.ly/4oRAuNs

07/01/2026

Hana Sharif, first Black woman leader of Arena Stage, resigns amid differing visions for the future of the award-winning regional theatre. Find the full story in the comments.