Article
John Marshall Harlan's Political Memoir
Journal of Supreme Court History
(2008)
Abstract
Near the end of his life, John Marshall Harlan wrote a number of biographical essays, presumably at the request of his children. Most of the essays relate to his experiences in the Civil War. The essay reprinted here instead recounts Harlan's political career before he joined the Supreme Court. Although he rarely won any elections and only held a couple of offices, Harlan's political odyssey is significant in that it shows how his social views were formed. Harlan's transformation from a staunch anti‐abolitionist to a civil‐rights advocate can be viewed as a series of reactions against various opponents as he struggled to find his political identity after the collapse of the Whig party in the 1850s.
Keywords
- John Marshall Harlan,
- Legal history
Disciplines
Publication Date
October 9, 2008
Citation Information
Scott Campbell. "John Marshall Harlan's Political Memoir" Journal of Supreme Court History Vol. 33 (2008) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/scott-campbell/5/