Harry Blackmun
1908–1999 (age 91)
U.S. Supreme Court justice
Biography
Justice Harry A. Blackmun served on the U.S. Supreme Court from 1970 to 1994, bringing a magistrate's precision to every opinion and championing the rule of law with thoughtful pragmatism. As the author of the majority opinion in Roe v. Wade and other landmark decisions, he strove to protect individual dignity while balancing the demands of justice.
Before his elevation to the High Court he honed his craft on the Eighth Circuit and as a legislative counsel, experiences that nourished his commitment to fairness and access to justice. After retirement he remained a respected voice on legal issues, remembered for his collegiality, graciousness, and unwavering devotion to the Constitution, and he now rests at Arlington National Cemetery.