{"id":54879,"date":"2023-04-27T12:00:31","date_gmt":"2023-04-27T17:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-legal\/supreme\/supreme_court\/justices\/thomas.html"},"modified":"2023-04-27T12:00:31","modified_gmt":"2023-04-27T17:00:31","slug":"thomas","status":"publish","type":"supreme","link":"https:\/\/supreme.findlaw.com\/supreme_court\/justices\/thomas.html","title":{"rendered":"Clarence Thomas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Associate Justice Clarence Thomas<\/h1>\n
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\n By Laura Temme, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Tim Kelly, J.D.<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Born in Pin Point, Georgia, in 1948, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas has served on the United States Supreme Court since 1991. He is the longest-serving member of the current court, and with Justice\u00a0Stephen Breyer<\/a>‘s 2022 retirement became the court’s oldest justice.<\/p>\r\n

Education<\/h2>\r\n

A devout Catholic, Justice Thomas originally set out to join the priesthood when he reached college age. In 1967, he became the first Black student admitted to St. John Vianney Minor Conception Seminary. However, he struggled with the church’s passive stance on racism and civil rights.<\/p>\r\n

He left the seminary in 1968 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in English literature at Holy Cross College, where he graduated ninth in his class. He was a member of Alpha Sigma Nu and the Purple Key Society. He then attended Yale Law School, where he earned his J.D. in 1974.<\/p>\r\n

Law Practice and Government Service<\/h2>\r\n

Justice Thomas was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1974. With the exception of a two-year stint as an attorney in Monsanto’s pesticide and agriculture division, his legal career focused on government work.<\/p>\r\n

He served in several state and federal government positions, including:<\/p>\r\n