The University of Maryland’s public policy building will be named after former U.S. Supreme Court justice and civil rights lawyer Thurgood Marshall, university President Darryll Pines announced in a campuswide email Friday.
Pines hopes that the recognition will represent the progress and evolution of this university.
“Carving names of trailblazers into the landscape of our campus is one way that we pursue inclusive excellence,” Pines wrote in the email.
Marshall helped win a historic case against the university more than 70 years ago after two men were denied acceptance into the school because they were Black. Marshall and a team of lawyers successfully sued the school in an effort to desegregate the campus.
“Through his career as a civil rights lawyer and U.S. Supreme Court justice, Marshall used the power of the judiciary to fight racism and discrimination, offering stability and opportunity to the most vulnerable in our nation,” Pines wrote. “We are thrilled to have the blessing of his family in honoring him through the continued pursuit of knowledge and justice.”
