Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, the second Black justice to sit on the court after Thurgood Marshall, has spent years opposing affirmative action. When the high court struck down the policy last month, Justice Thomas was one of the most influential figures behind the ruling.

Abbie VanSickle, who covers the Supreme Court for The Times, explains the impact affirmative action has had on Justice Thomas’s life and how he helped to bring about its demise.

Guest: Abbie VanSickle, a Supreme Court correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• A look at Justice Thomas’s path to the Supreme Court.
• Here’s what the justices have said in the past about affirmative action.

For more information on today’s episode, visit 

nytimes.com/thedaily

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