Few individuals did more to shape the political and legal landscape of twentieth century America than Earl Warren. Throughout fifty years of public service, Warren pursued a Progressive vision of ethical and effective government that brought moral integrity to the nation's public policies, especially in the fields of racial relations, criminal justice, and freedom of marital association. Warren's path-breaking approach to legal writing and his management of the responsibilities of the Office of Chief Justice encouraged public understanding of and support for the work of the Supreme Court. But his controversial years in California state government and as Chair of the Warren Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy also featured serious lapses in judgment and uncritical deference to authority figures in matters of national security that have clouded his legacy. This thoughtful and readable biography offers an updated and balanced appraisal of Warren's leading social justice decisions and a liberal critique of his failings that provides new insights into Warren, the man, the jurist, and the leader.

Earl Warren and the Struggle for Justice explores the remarkable life of one of the leading public figures and jurists of twentieth century America. Based on newly available source materials, it traces Warren's progressive vision of government from its origins in the fight against urban corruption in Oakland, California during the 1930s to its culmination in the effort to professionalize public school administration, law enforcement, and the management of the electoral process under the auspices of the U.S. Constitution. Although Warren's major social justice decisions strengthened democracy at a crucial juncture in American and world history, in times of crisis his excessive deference to national security officials sometimes jeopardized other core human rights, as shown in his approaches to the Japanese internment and the investigation into the assassination of President John Kennedy. The book offers accessible and fresh insights into the dynamics of the Supreme Court and the accomplishments of Earl Warren, the man, jurist, and political leader.