Final answer:
Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP achieved numerous legal victories over 23 years, with significant rulings like Brown v. Board of Education. Marshall advocated for continued efforts in fighting racism through both legal and political channels.
Step-by-step explanation:
Over a span of 23 years, Thurgood Marshall, who later became the first African American justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, and his NAACP lawyers won numerous legal victories. Marshall, notably known as "Mr. Civil Rights," was instrumental in changing the course of civil rights through the legal system. A hallmark case argued by Marshall was Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, where it was determined that state laws establishing separate public schools for Black and White students were unconstitutional. Marshall and the NAACP's legal strategies were crucial in setting the groundwork for civil rights advancement, including the overturning of unfair voter registration practices.
Reflecting on his career during a speech at Howard Law School in 1978, Marshall acknowledged the ongoing struggle against racism and urged for the utilization of both legal and political means to continue the fight for equality. This struggle against racism refers to the systemic issues that go beyond what has been achieved within the legal framework and the understanding that there remains much work to be done both in court and through political action.