Thomas Campbell Clark Sr. (1899 - 1977)

Born 23 Sep 1899 in Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA

Ancestors

Died 13 Jun 1977 at age 77 in New York City, New York, USA

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Biography

Thomas Clark was born in 13 Jun 1977 in Dallas, Texas. He was the son of William Clark and Virginia Falls. Clark 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 Supreme Court Justice from the state of Texas. Clark remained on the court until his retirement in 1967 and was succeeded by Thurgood Marshall. Clark retired so that his son, Ramsey Clark, could assume the position of Attorney General.

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.

Clark died in his sleep in New York City on June 13, 1977, in his son's apartment. He was interred in Restland Memorial Park, Dallas, Texas.

Sources

• Wikipedia: Tom C. Clark

• Find A Grave: Memorial #5714, Thomas Campbell "Tom" Clark, citing Restland Memorial Park, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave .