Born: June 28, 1948, Pin Point, GA

Education: Immaculate Conception Seminary, 1967–68; Holy Cross College, B.A. cum laude, 1971; Yale Law School, J.D., 1974

Raised in rural Pin Point, Georgia by his grandparents, Thomas instilled strong values of dignity, education, faith, and hard work. He aspired to be a Catholic priest, but felt racially isolated at seminary and, instead, chose to study liberal arts. A racial activist in college, even joining the Black Panther Party, he became a social conservative and Republican at Yale. Attorney and legislative assistant, he was appointed to key positions, notably chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), federal judge, and later nominated to the Supreme Court.

His nomination met with fierce opposition. Civil rights, labor, and feminist groups, and liberal Democrats united in opposing him, frequently citing his anti-affirmative action views and judicial conservatism. Black attorney Anita F. Hill also accused Thomas of sexually harassing her when they were coworkers at EEOC. So, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard Hill's allegations in televised hearings. These fueled a national conversation on sexual harassment in the workplace, politics, and race, including black sexual stereotypes. Thomas rebutted that he had been the target of “a hi-tech lynching.” The committee approved him 13–1 though without a recommendation, an unprecedented move. In spite of the charged political atmosphere, the full Senate voted 52–48 for confirmation.