Famous Masons

Many men throughout history have been members of our fraternity.

In these pages we will present you with them and try to impress upon you the great men that have been Masons.

Famous Mason Categories
Alphabetical ListArticles of ConfederationAstronautsBusinessmenEntertainersExplorers and FrontiersmenGovernorsMilitary Leaders
PoliticianPresidentsSenatorSigner Declaration of IndependenceSportsSupreme Court JusticeUS Constitution

Photo of John Marshall Harlan

John Harlan

Supreme Court Justice
Birthday: June 1, 1833 Deceased: October 14, 1911

Biography

American lawyer and politician from Kentucky who served as an associate justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. He is best known for his role as the lone dissenter in the Civil Rights Cases (1883), and Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which, respectively, struck down as unconstitutional federal anti-discrimination legislation and upheld southern segregation statutes. These dissents, among others, led to his nickname of ?The Great Dissenter?. Prior to this appointment, he had served as Attorney General of Kentucky (1863-1867).