Justice Clarence Thomas: The Declaration of Independence and the Promise of America

On September 16, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas delivered the 2021 Tocqueville Lecture sponsored by the University of Notre Dame's Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government.

In his remarks, he described the U.S. Declaration of Independence as America's "national North Star."

"While we have failed the...ideals of the Declaration time and again, I know of no time when [those] ideals have failed us," he said. The Declaration reflects the noble understanding of the justice of the Creator...and the enlightened belief that nothing stamped with the divine image and likeness was sent into the world to be trodden on and degraded." 

If you have a comment or question about the Notable Speeches podcast, email [email protected].