What Earl Warren Was Thinking
An interview with the jurist whose court presided over the major decisions now being undone by a conservative court.
Earl Warren, right, smiles broadly as he talks to Governor Edmund G. Brown during a visit to the governor's office in Sacramento, California, January 5, 1966. AP Photo.
This is Part of the "The Supreme Court’s War on the Future" Dig series
This is a 1969 interview with the legendary Chief Justice Earl Warren just before his retirement conducted by the McClatchy Broadcasting Service.
Warren served as chief justice from 1953 to 1969. Under his stewardship, the high court expanded the scope of civil rights and civil liberties, issuing such landmark decisions as Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, ending legal segregation in public schools; Loving v. Virginia, declaring anti-miscegenation laws unconstitutional; Griswold v. Connecticut, recognizing a general right to privacy; Baker v. Carr, establishing the principle of “one person, one vote”; Miranda v. Arizona, requiring police to advise criminal suspects of their right to remain silent; and South Carolina v. Katzenbach, upholding the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
These precedents, and many others, are under attack by the current Supreme Court, which is dominated by six hardcore judicial conservatives.
Wait, before you go…If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.
Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.
Support Truthdig
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.