Vicki Cox

The second black man to be appointed to the Supreme Court, Clarence Thomas has achieved what few people - no matter their race - can aspire to. To get there, Thomas had to endure years of struggle, starting with his upbringing in rural Georgia. Though he faced racial discrimination and poverty, his demanding grandfather taught him that hard work, self-discipline, and self-reliance could help him survive. Indeed, Thomas went on to seminary school and then to Yale School of Law, where he was one of only a few black students. While working at the Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, his opinions about affirmative action programs enraged some civil rights leaders. When he was nominated to the Supreme Court, his reputation was attacked. Despite all of this, today Thomas sits on the highest court in the nation. In Clarence Thomas, read about the ascent of a man driven to achieve success.