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New Thurgood Marshall Movie Based On Book By Baltimore Attorney

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore native Thurgood Marshall stands among the greatest and most important civil rights figures in American history. And a new movie on him is based on the book by a current Baltimore attorney.

Segregation kept Marshall out of the University of Maryland, and his law practice in Baltimore didn't amount to much, that is until he started working for the NAACP.

Scenes from the movie are based on "Young Thurgood: The Making of a Supreme Court Justice," researched and written by Baltimore attorney, political consultant and University of Maryland law professor Larry S. Gibson.

"Thurgood Marshall was the most important American lawyer of the 20th century," Gibson says.

Gibson tracks Marshall during his early years, looking at what shaped the icon and factored in to his difficult rise to the top.

"Where his focus on voting rights, and on public accommodations and on education, where that begins," Gibson says.

Marshall was not only a ground-breaking lawyer, but also one of the longest-standing Supreme Court justices.

"So he was a person who has had a long time, permanent impact on our nation," according to Gibson.

Besides being entertaining, Gibson confirms that the new movie is accurate.

The portrayal of him on screen is "completely consistent with the young Thurgood as I described him," he says.

"Marshall" has been in theaters for about a week.

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