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Lewis F. Powell, Jr.

Lewis F. Powell, Jr.
The Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States (Artist: George Augusta)
Media Items
Lewis F. Powell, Jr. - Icon File
Lewis F. Powell, Jr. - Portrait
Lewis F. Powell, Jr. - Photograph
Personal Information
Born: 
Thursday, September 19, 1907
Died: 
Tuesday, August 25, 1998
Childhood Location: 
Virginia
Childhood Surroundings: 
Virginia
Religion: 
Presbyterian
Ethnicity: 
English/Welsh
Father: 
Lewis F. Powell
Father's Occupation: 
Businessman
Mother: 
Mary Gwathmey
Family Status: 
Upper
Position: 
Associate Justice
Seat: 
2
Nominated By: 
Nixon
Commissioned on: 
Wednesday, December 8, 1971
Sworn In: 
Thursday, January 6, 1972
Left Office: 
Thursday, June 25, 1987
Reason For Leaving: 
Retired
Length of Service: 
15 years, 5 months, 19 days
Home: 
Virginia

Cite this page
The Oyez Project, Justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr.
available at: (http://oyez.org/justices/lewis_f_powell_jr)
(last visited Thursday, March 11, 2010).
Birth Place: 
Virginia
Biography: 

A Virginian by birth, Lewis Powell spent most of his life in the Tidewater State. He rose to the top of his profession when he was elected president of the American Bar Association in 1964.

Powell was a moderate before he joined the Court. He served on local and state boards of education at a time when there were strong demands to resist racial desegregation. With a Supreme Court in balance ideologically, Powell was cast in the middle of several important issues during his tenure. His vote decided the Court's first confrontation with abortion and affirmative action.

Baseball File: 
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