Thurgood Marshall is getting the documentary treatment he deserves, and it’s coming to PBS this fall. Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect is the latest project from Maryland Public Television, and it will dive into the life of the man who not only helped dismantle segregation in schools but also became the first Black Supreme Court Justice in U.S. history.
Premiering September 9, 2025, at 10 p.m. ET on PBS, this new doc is executive produced by acclaimed filmmaker Stanley Nelson (you know his work on Becoming Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom) and features direction from Alexis Aggrey, with a soulful score by Grammy-winning composer Derrick Hodge.
But what makes Becoming Thurgood stand out? For the first time, viewers will hear Marshall tell his own story in his own words, thanks to rare archival audio pulled from an eight-hour oral history. “It’s not just a documentary,” said Aggrey, “it’s a conversation with a man whose legal mind reshaped the nation.”
The film traces Marshall’s journey from his roots in Baltimore, through his years at Lincoln University and Howard University School of Law, to the courtroom battles that defined a generation. Think Brown v. Board of Education and the 29 out of 32 Supreme Court cases he won.
Stanley Nelson summed it up perfectly: “Thurgood Marshall’s legacy continues to expand and endure in these turbulent times.”
The documentary also taps into personal stories from Marshall’s family, scholars, legal experts, and civil rights historians, giving viewers a full picture of the man often called “Mr. Civil Rights.”
Even better, the film is set to be the centerpiece of HBCU Week NOW 2025, a public media campaign highlighting the impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country.
Catch Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect on PBS, PBS.org, and the PBS app, and get ready to be reminded why Thurgood Marshall’s work still matters today.
