Black History Month: Cecilia Suyat Marshall, living with a civil rights legend

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The 93-year old Cecilia Suyat Marshall recalls her life with Justice Thurgood Marshall.

When Marshall, the recent movie about civil rights giant Thurgood Marshall, ended, he hadn't been appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court and he had not yet married his second wife. That's too bad, because that is when Asian American history and Black history became one.

It is often said that behind every successful man, is a strong woman. Such is the case with Cecilia Suyat Marshall, the Filipino American who married civil rights icon Thurgood Marshall.

The 20-year old, Maui-born Cecilia moved to New York City where she landed a job as a stenographer at the NAACP's national headquarters. She recalls one of her first duties with the civil rights organization was picketing a theater that was showing the infamous picture Birth of a Nation, which glorified the Ku Klux Klan.

Cecilia Marshall notes other highlights of her experiences at the NAACP offices, including the organization's victory in the Brown v. Board case, traveling the South with NAACP staff, and attending conferences. There she met the many local people who gave the Civil Rights Movement strength including the man she eventually married,

Although not formally a member of the legal team that argued Brown v. Board of Education, as an NAACP secretary she wrote down notes, copied briefs and helped hone the arguments for that legal victory that set the precedent for equal opportunities and education and overruled the separate but equal doctrine that allowed segregated  schools for Blacks and Whites.

She left the NAACP after her 1055 marriage to Thurgood Marshall and with that departure became more of a mother and wife than an activist, but retained her activist spirit with membership on the boards of progressive organizations.

“He accomplished so much and worked so hard, but I thought by now we would have come so much further. He would have thought that, too,” said the 93-year old Cecilia Marshall in a rare interview.

Marshall, she says that she still gathers with the wives of former and current Supreme Court Justices.

“We’re a big family, we call ourselves ‘sisters,’” she told the Washington Post.

Those get-togethers, as well as the success of her two sons—Thurgood, Jr., and John W. — are all part of her husband’s legacy.

MARSHALL FAMILY

Justice Thurgood and Cecilia Marshall with their two sons.

“Seeing his sons grow up to become adults—Thurgood, Jr. a lawyer; and John serving in civil service—has been a great joy,” said Cecilia Marshall. “My husband gave me and all of us a great life and his favorite slogan was something we’ve always lived by and I still live by today, especially when I think of the state of things in this country,” she told the Washington Post.

She said that slogan is, “Never give up.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Trump doubles down on his use of "China virus" in describing the coronavirus

SCREEN CAPTURE / CNN

Donald Trump at the daily coronavirus briefing at the White House.

Donald Trump's insistence on calling COVID-19 the "China virus" is spurring a rise in attacks, physical altercations or verbal abuse, against Asians.


Some of the nation’s leading civil rights and racial justice organizations issued a joint urgent call to action against racism and discrimination targeting Asian Americans related to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The joint statement is in response to Trump's continued insistence in referring to the COVID-19 pandemic as the "China virus," in his tweets and news conference. Critics say his use of the term, along with Wuhan virus: 

“As our nation grapples with the coronavirus, we are deeply concerned that recent incidents of racism and discrimination against Asian Americans threaten our collective public safety. In recent weeks, Asian Americans have been subjected to violent attacks, discrimination against their businesses and xenophobic portrayal by the media and our elected leaders.

"We are often reminded of the xenophobic history of our nation—from the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act to the 2019 Public Charge Rule—our nation has always treated people of color and immigrants with suspicion. Coronavirus does not discriminate based on race or ethnicity.

"The World Health Organization’s declaration of a pandemic is a call to action—both to protect our collective public health and to remind us that we must stand together. We call on policymakers, the media and the public to take affirmative steps to halt and condemn xenophobia and to ensure that the health and safety of all Americans is protected.”

Signatories to the statement are:

Advancement Project, National Office, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Demos, Faith in Action, NAACP, National Congress of American Indians, National Urban League, Race Forward, and Unidos US are a collaborative of nine leading national Racial Equity Anchor Organizations supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. 

In one instance, a CBS reporters said a White House staffer called it the "Kung Flu," is sparking a surge in attacks against Asian Americans.

When asked by reporters this morning at the coronavirus daily briefing, if he was offended by the use of "Kung Flu," and "China virus," he brusquely responded, “No, no, no,” ...“Not at all. I think they probably would agree with it 100 percent. It comes from China. There’s nothing not to agree with.”

A few hours later, Wednesday afternoon, the White House apparently received instructions to respond to the growing criticism with this tweet:

Director of the Centers for Disease Control Robert Redfield in Congressional hearings on March 10 went against Trump and GOP lawmakers and condemned the use of the term "China virus" and the CDC website issued guidelines against its use because of negative impact it has on Asian Americans.

However, in Tuesday's briefing, Trump pushed back at the suggestion that using the racist term creates a stigma.

"I don't think so. I think saying that our military gave it to them creates a stigma," Trump told reporters.

CNN previously reported that a prominent Chinese official is repeating a conspiracy theory that the US military could have brought the deadly virus to China -- and it did not originate in the Chinese city of Wuhan where it was first reported by Chinese health officials.

"I didn't appreciate the fact that China was saying that our military gave it to them. Our military did not give it to anybody," Trump said.

"China was putting out information, which was false, that our military gave this to them. That was false. And rather than having an argument, I said I had to call it where it came from. It did come from China. So, I think it's a very accurate term," he said.

Trump is also using the spread of the virus as a justification for his harsh, and some say racist, immigration policy stemming immigration to the US and the need to construct his infamous wall on the border with Mexico even though the introduction of the virus to the US is believed to have been transmitted by American visitors to China.

Capitol Hill lawmakers, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, and members of the three minority Congressional Caucuses, have spoken out against the use of the term.

Nevertheless, Trump and GOP congressmembers continue to doubled down on the use of this term during press conferences. 

Trump's insistence in the use of the offensive term goes against guidelines issued by the World Health Organization and the promises by members of Trump’s own administration, including Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Robert Redfield, to refrain from using that term in reference to COVID-19 because it incites blame, racism, and hatred towards Asian Americans, putting them at risk for prejudice and violence. 

RELATED: Coronavirus fears spur attacks against Asian Americans

Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chairwoman Judy Chu, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairman Joaquin Castro, Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chairwoman Karen Bass, and Congressional Native American Caucus Co-Chair Deb Haaland issued the following joint statement:

“The name of the virus causing the crisis in America and around the world is the 2019 novel coronavirus, or COVID-19 for short. It has a name. But Republicans, from President Trump on down, have insisted on creating and using alternatives such as the ‘Chinese’ or ‘Wuhan’ virus. This is dangerous and they know it. The World Health Organization has said labeling a disease by region or ethnicity makes it harder to contain the disease and promotes stigma that can negatively impact ethnic groups. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said creating stigma endangers public health. 

"Yet still, Republicans are rejecting that expert guidance in order to stoke xenophobia and blame all people of Chinese ethnicity for a public health crisis that knows no boundaries. 

"But by telling people who to blame, they are telling people who to fear and who to hate. Unfortunately, we have already seen how this bigotry has impacted Asian Americans across the country who are facing increased prejudice and violence. Many have even been assaulted to the point of needing to seek medical care in hospitals due to the injuries sustained from physical attacks. This is the consequence of spreading xenophobia, something that cannot continue to be amplified by the Trump Administration and Republican Members. Not now, not ever.

“Republicans have a choice: they can either help contain this global pandemic, or they can exploit it and exacerbate it to serve the President’s narrow political and xenophobic interests. But by doing the latter, they are putting American lives at risk. 

"Conversely, it’s heartening to see the four national caucuses of state legislators of color join our efforts by issuing a statement denouncing the Administration’s efforts to spread xenophobia. We are also grateful to all the local elected officials, governors, and community leaders adhering to clear, consistent messaging that rightfully places no blame on Asian Americans or any other ethnic group. Once again, we implore all leaders to stick to expert guidance and not spread xenophobia. Lives depend on it.”

Opposition mounts against Sen. Jeff Sessions nomination for Attorney General

NAACP members staged a sit-in at Sen. Jeff Session's Alabama office.

AND SO begins the first of many anticipated battles.

Meeting in Washington D.C. Friday (Jan. 6), civil rights leaders from The Leadership Conference, the National Council of Asian Pacific Americansm the National Action Network, the NAACP, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., NCAPA, NCLR and MALDEF condemned the GOP plan to rush the hearing of Senator Jeff Sessions for the position of U.S. Attorney General.

"Republicans are rushing to rubberstamp Sessions' nomination because they know that if they followed the rules-and if Senator Sessions submitted the required information - then his nomination would be rejected, just as it was 30 years ago, because he is still unable to protect the civil rights and liberties of all Americans," said Christopher Kang, Director of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, 

"The Attorney General serves as the People's Lawyer, and there is too much at stake for Republican Senators to give special treatment to Senator Sessions just because he eats at the same lunch table and works out the same gym."

Sen. Jeff Sessions

Nominating Sessions as the nation's top lawyer would give Sessions the role of giving legal justification of President-elect Donald Trump's harsh proposals against immigrants, refugees and Muslims, not to mention slacking off on reforms in the criminal justice system, prosecution of environmental reforms, and enforcing the Voting Rights Act.

RELATED: Sessions nomination troubles civil rights activists

As reported by a coalition of organizations, Sessions’ initial Senate Judiciary Questionnaire had hundreds of concerning omissions. Despite a supplement of new entries submitted weeks later, a second report demonstrated that his application is still astonishingly incomplete, and Sessions' hypocrisy has been breathtaking. 

Furthermore, Sessions has grossly misrepresented his civil rights record by claiming that cases he had “no substantive involvement in” were among the most significant he personally handled. Sessions’ disregard for the Senate requirements shows a fundamental disregard for the office of Attorney General and for the Senate itself.

Sessions has a 30-year record of racial insensitivity, bias against immigrants, disregard for the rule of law, and hostility towards the protection of civil rights that makes him unfit to serve as the Attorney General of the United States.

“We are convinced that Jeff Sessions will not fairly enforce our nation’s laws and promote justice and equality in the United States,” states a letter signed by 1,100 prominent law professors.

Allegations of racial insensitivity were made against Sessions at a 1986 Senate hearing when he was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to be a federal judge. His nomination was defeated after being opposed by the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, People for the American Way and the NAACP, which staged a sit-in in Session's Mobile, Alabama office  led by their national president, Cornell W. Brooks, 

As reported by a coalition of organizations, Sessions’ initial Senate Judiciary Questionnaire had hundreds of concerning omissions. Despite a supplement of new entries submitted weeks later, a second report demonstrated that his application is still astonishingly incomplete, and Sessions' hypocrisy has been breathtaking. 

Furthermore, Sessions has grossly misrepresented his civil rights record by claiming that cases he had “no substantive involvement in” were among the most significant he personally handled. Sessions’ disregard for the Senate requirements shows a fundamental disregard for the office of Attorney General and for the Senate itself.

Sessions has a 30-year record of racial insensitivity, bias against immigrants, disregard for the rule of law, and hostility towards the protection of civil rights that makes him unfit to serve as the Attorney General of the United States. Session's attempt to omit or downplay his past is telling. If we need any reminding, here are some of the history that should be remembered by the Senate:

● Applauded the Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision, which gutted key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

●Voted against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.

●Voted yes on a constitutional ban of same-sex marriage.

●Opposed the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.”

●Opposed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

●Voted to ease restrictions on wiretapping of cellphones.

●Voted to abolish a program that helps businesses owned by women and minorities compete for federally funded transportation projects.

●Opposed comprehensive immigration reform and nearly every immigration bill that has come before the Senate over the past two decades, including voting against a Senate resolution affirming that the United States must not bar people from the country because of their religion.

"The Attorney General is one of the most important positions in the entire federal government, as the Justice Department has the responsibility to vigorously enforce some of our nation's most critical laws; to protect the rights and liberties of all Americans," said Wade Henderson, president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

"Sen. Sessions' record on civil and human rights, which he failed to fully divulge to the committee in his questionnaire, makes him simply unfit to serve in this critical position. The Senate must delay his confirmation hearing to make ample time for the thorough vetting of Senator Sessions' long record of public service that the American people deserve."

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