Earl Warren Quotes (1891-1974)

“We conclude that in the field of public education "separate but equal" has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.”

“The only reason that there has been no sabotage or espionage on the part of Japanese-Americans is that they are waiting for the right moment to strike. [A statement he later mitigated in his memoirs, see next entry below.]”

“All provisions of federal, state or local law requiring or permitting discrimination in public education must yield.”

“Legislators represent people, not trees or acres. Legislators are elected by voters, not farms or cities or economic interests.”

“This concept of "national defense" cannot be deemed an end in itself, justifying any exercise of legislative power designed to promote such a goal.”

“It would indeed be ironic if, in the name of national defense, we would sanction the subversion of one of those liberties which make the defense of our nation worthwhile.”

“I believe the preservation of our civil liberties to be the most fundamental and important of all our governmental problems, because it always has been with us and always will be with us and if we ever permit those liberties to be destroyed, there will be nothing left in our system worthy of preservation. They constitute the soul of democracy. I believe that there is grave danger in this country of losing our civil liberties as they have been lost in other countries.”

“[Many agricultural counties] are far more important in the life of the State than their population bears to the entire population of the State. It is for this reason that I have never been in favor of restricting their representation in our State Senate to a strictly population basis. It is the same reason that the founding fathers of our country gave balanced representation to the States of the Union, equal representation in one House and proportionate representation based upon population in the other.”

“There is patently no legitimate overriding purpose independent of invidious racial discrimination which justifies this classification. The fact that Virginia prohibits only interracial marriages involving white persons demonstrates that the racial classifications must stand on their own justification, as measures designed to maintain White Supremacy. We have consistently denied the constitutionality of measures which restrict the rights of citizens on account of race. There can be no doubt that restricting the freedom to marry solely because of racial classifications violates the central meaning of the Equal Protection Clause.”

“There is patently no legitimate overriding purpose independent of invidious racial discrimination which justifies this classification. The fact that Virginia prohibits only interracial marriages involving white persons demonstrates that the racial classifications must stand on their own justification, as measures designed to maintain White Supremacy. We have consistently denied the constitutionality of measures which restrict the rights of citizens on account of race. There can be no doubt that restricting the freedom to marry solely because of racial classifications violates the central meaning of the Equal Protection Clause.”

“Earl Warren's life epitomized the American dream. His unique half‐century of public service spans one of the most dynamic eras in our history and his contribution was large indeed.”

“When history is written, he'll go down as one of the greatest Chief Justices the country has ever been blessed with. I think he is irreplaceable.”

“America has lost one of her finest public servants. Few men have been called on to do so much in the service of their nation and few have performed with such distinction. Even in retirement, Earl Warren repeatedly gave his talents to the service of his countrymen. He was an articulate spokesman for the ideals he cherished. He did not invite controversy but neither did he shun it; he fulfilled his duty as he saw it.”