Clarence Thomas (born June 23, 1948) is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving since 1991. Appointed by President George H.W. Bush, Thomas is considered one of the most conservative justices on the Court and a leading figure in the originalist movement. Born in poverty in Pin Point, Georgia, he rose to become a Yale Law School graduate and former judge on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. His confirmation hearings were controversial due to sexual harassment allegations by Anita Hill. Known for his strict constructionist views, Thomas has been a decisive voice in landmark cases involving federal power, gun rights, and affirmative action.
