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7 unusual facts about John Marshall Harlan


David Josiah Brewer

Along with Justice Harlan, Brewer dissented in Giles v. Harris (1903), a case challenging grandfather clauses as applied to voting rolls.

Garner v. Louisiana

In his written opinion, Justice John Marshall Harlan likened sit-in demonstrations to verbal expression as a form of free speech.

Grutter v. Bollinger

"Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens." Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 527, 559, ... (1896) (Harlan, J., dissenting).

Howard H. Baker, Jr. Center for Public Policy

Toward that end, the Baker Studies Program is sponsoring academic conferences on topics ranging from Senator Baker’s role in the Senate Watergate Committee’s investigation to the service rendered by Senator Baker as Senate minority and majority leader, President Richard Nixon’s overtures to Senator Baker as a possible successor to U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan, and Senator Baker’s tenure as White House Chief of Staff to President Ronald Reagan.

John Howard Ferguson

Although the United States Supreme Court ruled against Plessy in 1896, their arguments produced Justice John Marshall Harlan’s "Great Dissent".

Lochner v. New York

Justice John Marshall Harlan wrote a dissenting opinion, which was joined by Justices White and Day.

Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad

A unanimous decision, written by Justice Harlan, ruled on the matter of fences, holding that the state of California illegally included the fences running beside the tracks in its assessment of the total value of the railroad's property.


Civil Rights Act of 1875

The Supreme Court of the United States in a nearly unanimous decision declared the act unconstitutional in the Civil Rights Cases (1883) with Justice John Marshall Harlan providing the lone dissent.

Dwight D. Eisenhower Supreme Court candidates

During his two terms in office, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed five members of the Supreme Court of the United States: Chief Justice Earl Warren, and Associate Justices John Marshall Harlan, William Brennan, Charles Evans Whittaker, and Potter Stewart.

Mildred Lillie

Nixon was shortly afterward faced with two new vacancies on the high bench due to the retirements of John Marshall Harlan and Hugo Black in 1971.

The Paquete Habana

Justice Fuller delivered a dissenting opinion, which was joined by Justices Harlan and McKenna.


see also

James Harlan

James S. Harlan (1861–1927), American lawyer and commerce specialist, son of John Marshall Harlan