Thurgood Marshall Comment on Supreme Court's Ruling in Virginia Case

Press Release
June 9, 1959

Thurgood Marshall Comment on Supreme Court's Ruling in Virginia Case preview

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  • Press Releases, Loose Pages. Thurgood Marshall Comment on Supreme Court's Ruling in Virginia Case, 1959. 3a6e3c81-bc92-ee11-be37-00224827e97b. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/e185de91-25ee-4f3b-9326-d05583537558/thurgood-marshall-comment-on-supreme-courts-ruling-in-virginia-case. Accessed October 08, 2025.

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NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND 
10 COLUMBUS CIRCLE + NEW YORK 19,N.Y. © JUdson 6-8397 

DR. ALLAN KNIGHT CHALMERS oS THURGOOD MARSHALL 
President Director-Counsel 

THURGOOD MARSHALL COMMENT ON 
SUPREME COURT'S RULING IN VIRGINIA CASE 

NEW YORK, June 9.--Commenting on the U. S. Supreme Court's opinion 

in Harrison v. NAACP, decided by the Court on Monday, June 8, 1959, 

Thurgood Marshall, who argued the case before the Supreme Court, stated: 

"We are of course disappointed at the outcome. However, Justice Harlan 

who wrote the majority opinion, was careful to point out that counsel 

for the State of Virginia had given assurances that Virginia will never 

proceed against the NAACP or the NAACP Legal Defense Fund under any of 

these laws during the full pendency of this litigation." 

Mr. Marshall noted that Justice Harlan had also pointed out that 

"while there is no reason to suppose that such assurances will not be 

honored by these or other Virginia officials not parties to this 1liti- 

gation, the District Court of course possesses ample authority in this 

action, or in such supplemental proceedings as may be initiated, to 

protect the appellees while this case goes forward." 

"Therefore," Mr. Marshall said, "NAACP and NAACP Legal Defense 

Fund activities may continue in Virginia in a normal manner unharassed 

py the Virginia statutes perding further proceedings suggested by the 

U. S. Supreme Court." 

SS 50" we

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