Statement by Rosa Parks on Clarence Thomas, 1991

STATEMENT OF MS. ROSA PARKS
On the Nomination of Judge Clarence Thomas
To the United States Supreme Court
September 13, 1991

     Without a doubt, Judge Thomas has achieved remarkable
success in his career, raising himself up from humble beginnings
to the nomination for the highest court in the land.  That is to
his great credit, and I applaud him for it.

     Yet I have to believe that his confirmation to the highest
court in the land would not represent a step forward in the road
to racial progress but a U-turn on that road.  The record and
rhetoric of the man leaves me little confidence that his
confirmation would in any way help address the profound racial
problems and divisions that drag our country down.  His
statements on the Brown v. Board of Education case on
affirmative action, and even on Roe v. Wade, to me indicate
that he wants to push the clock back.

     African Americans I believe want to have confidence in the 
promise of the courts; we want to believe that they are a place
we can turn for redress of racial discrimination and many
deprivations that are still clearly rampant in our country.  The
Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education
instilled in us that hope nearly forty years ago, as did many
others that subsequently followed.

     Yet much has changed in recent years.  The Supreme Court now
appears to be turning its back on the undeniable fact of
discrimination and exclusion, ruling that anti-discrimination
laws and remedies have gone too far.  I believe that Judge Thomas
will accelerate that trend, and that will be destructive for our
nation.

Click here for the Wikipedia entry on Rosa Parks (1913-2005).