Harry Andrew Blackmun - Grave of a Famous Person on Waymarking.com

Harry A. Blackmun was born in Nashville, Illinois on November 12, 1908. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1932 and practice and taught law until 1959. He was appointed to the Federal Bench in 1959 serving in the 8th Circuit. In 1971, President Richard Nixon nominated him to the United States Supreme Court and after confirmation by the senate he assumed the bench later in 1971. During his 23 years on the Supreme Court Justice Blackmun wrote some of the courts most high profile opinions included the case of Roe vs. Wade. Justice Blackmun drew the ire of Chief Justice Warren Burger, who was a close personal friend, when he joined the other Justices to write a counter draft of an opinion in the Watergate Tapes Case known officially as United States vs. Richard Nixon. For their remaining time on the bench, Blackmun and Burger’s personal and professional relationship was severely stained. Justice Harry Blackmun died on March 4, 1999 and is resting in Section 5, Lot 40-4 in Arlington National Cemetery.

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Description: Harry Andrew Blackmun was born in Nashville, Illinois on November 12, 1908. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1932 and served in a variety of positions as private counsel, law clerk, and adjunct faculty at the University of Minnesota and the St. Paul College of Law. President Eisenhower appointed Blackmun to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in 1959 where he served until 1971. President Richard Nixon nominated Judge Blackmun to the Supreme Court in 1971 and after being confirmed by the senate he became an associate justice. During his tenure, Justice Blackmun and the court heard a number of high profile cases. In 1973, Justice Blackmun wrote the majority opinion in the Case of Roe vs. Wade, which struck down as unconstitutional state laws against abortions. The opinion still stands today. Another key case heard by the court while Blackmun was on the bench was United States vs. Richard Nixon. This case was known as the “Watergate Tapes” case. This case caused a great division between the associated justices and the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice had assigned himself to write the decision for a unanimous Court, but the other Justices were unsatisfied with his drafts, and formed secret plans to write a counter-draft of their own. Working together, the other Justices assigned Blackmun to write the section on the facts of the case. When the Chief Justice found that the other Justices had worked in secret to steal this extremely important case from him. Justice Blackmun retired from the court in 1994 after 23-years on the bench. Justice Harry Blackmun died on March 4, 1999. Date of birth: 11/12/1908 Date of death: 03/04/1999 Area of notoriety: Politics Marker Type: Headstone Setting: Outdoor Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Daily - 8 a.m to 5 p.m. Fee required?: No Web site: [Web Link]

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