ROSA PARKS Writings note, & statement Statements 1991 Box 19 Folder 4 Nomination of Clarence Thomas 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 a 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 the Roe v. Wade to me indicate that he wants to push to 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 the redress of the racial discrimination and many deprivations that are still clearly rampant in our country. The Supreme Court decision in the Brown v. Board of Education instilled in us the 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. Transcribed and reviewed by volunteers participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.