Imprimis - Freedom and Obligation—2016 Commencement Address From Clarence Thomas

May/June 2016 • Volume 45, Number 5/6 Freedom and Obligation—2016 Commencement Address Clarence Thomas Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States Clarence Thomas is an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Born in Pinpoint, Georgia, he is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and Yale Law School. Prior to his nomination to the Supreme Court in 1991, he served as an assistant attorney general of Missouri, an attorney with the Monsanto Company, a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator John Danforth, assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Education, chairman of the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission, and a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. In 2007, he published My Grandfather’s Son: A Memoir. The following is adapted from a speech delivered on May 14, 2016, at Hillsdale College’s 164th Commencement ceremony.   President Arnn, members of the board of trustees, assembled faculty, families and friends, and, most important, members of the Hillsdale College Class of 2016, I am both honored and grateful to participate in these commencement exercises. It has been some years since my wife Virginia and I have been to Hillsdale together. Of course we have known Dr. and Mrs. Arnn for many, many years, and we have been quite close to Hillsdale throughout his tenure. We admire the work that is being done here to educate young men and women—one of whom, Hillsdale graduate David Morrell, a wonderful young man, served as one of my law clerks a few years back. . . . continue reading   Share This Issue “Athens and Sparta” Enroll now  Refer a potential student to Hillsdale College Go to Admissions