WILLIAM J. BRENNAN, JR., SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR, HARRY A. BLACKMUN and BYRON WHITE
Four Supreme Court Justices sign an engraving of the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C.
Engraving signed: "Wm J Brennan Jr", "Sandra D O'Connor", "Harry A Blackmun" and "Byron White". B/w, 8x6 overall, oval image 3½x1¾ (one surface). Depicts the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C. Printed caption beneath engraving. WILLIAM J. BRENNAN, JR. (1906-1997), appointed Associate Justice by President Eisenhower, served from October 6, 1956 until his retirement on July 20, 1990. He believed that only by making the Constitution a "living document" could America's system of government keep up with the needs of society -- in direct opposition to the "strict constructionist" approach of conservative colleagues such as Justices Rehnquist and Scalia. On July 7, 1981, President Reagan nominated SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR (born in 1930), a Judge on the Arizona State Court of Appeals, as the first woman Justice in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court. Confirmed by the Senate 99-0, she was sworn in on September 25, 1981 and still serves on the Court. HARRY A. BLACKMUN (1908-1999) appointed by President Nixon in 1970, was initially allied with the conservatives on the Court, but is best remembered for his 1973 majority opinion in Roe v. Wade, legalizing abortion. He retired in 1994 and died in 1999. Associate Justice BYRON R. WHITE (1917-2002), a former college and NFL football star, was appointed by President Kennedy. He served from April 16, 1962 until he retired on June 28, 1993. Lightly creased at corners, black smudge at middle blank margin, else fine condition.