Harry A. Blackmun

“For me, Roe v. Wade is a case about the Constitution and the spiritual development of women.”

“We, therefore, conclude that the right of personal privacy includes the abortion decision, but that this right is not unqualified and must be considered against important state interests in regulation.”

“I'll carry this one to my grave.”

“From this day forward, I no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death.”

“The application of the death penalty... has failed to deliver the fair, consistent, and reliable sentences of death required by the Constitution.”

“In order to get beyond racism, we must first take account of race. There is no other way. And in order to treat some persons equally, we must treat them differently.”

“The right to be let alone is the underlying principle of the Constitution's Bill of Rights.”

“A good judge is a good listener.”

“No longer is the female destined solely for the home and the rearing of the family, and only the male for the marketplace and the world of ideas.”

“The path of the law is not a dead end. It is a continuing process of adjustment and accommodation. It is a reflection of the society it serves.”

“We need to slay the dragon of racism.”

“The state's interest in protecting potential life becomes compelling at viability.”

“The concept of 'humility' is like a thread that has run through the fabric of my judicial career.”

“To be a good judge, you have to be a good person.”