On this day, William H. Rehnquist was confirmed as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. His confirmation faced strong opposition from civil rights organizations, including the NAACP, due to his past opposition to civil rights legislation, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Critics also cited his earlier memos as a law clerk, which appeared to defend the “separate but equal” doctrine of segregation.
Rehnquist would go on to serve as Chief Justice from 1986 until his death in 2005. His confirmation marked a pivotal moment in the ideological shift of the Court and had long-term implications for civil rights jurisprudence.
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