John W. Marshall facts for kids

John William Marshall, born on July 6, 1958, is an American politician. He worked as the Secretary of Public Safety for the state of Virginia. He served under Governors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine from 2002 to 2010. He was the longest-serving member of the Virginia Governor's Cabinet.

Early Life and Education

John William Marshall was born in New York City, USA. His father was Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. His mother was Cecilia Suyat Marshall, who was Filipino American. He also has a brother, Thurgood Marshall Jr..

He studied at Georgetown University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in government. He also received a certificate in Administration of Justice from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Career in Public Service

Virginia State Police

Before becoming a state official, John Marshall worked for the Virginia State Police. He was a State Trooper from 1980 to 1994. ..... He taught at the Training Academy and worked as a Field Operations Sergeant.

United States Marshal

From 1994 to 1999, Marshall served as a United States Marshal. He worked for the Eastern District of Virginia. In 1999, President Bill Clinton chose him to lead the United States Marshals Service. He was the first African American to hold this important position. He served as Director until 2001.

After Public Service

After leaving his role as Secretary of Public Safety in 2010, Marshall became a consultant. He worked as a senior advisor for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund until January 2011. Since then, he has been a public speaker. He talks about important topics like criminal justice and civil rights.