SCOTUS Signed Photograph of the Vinson Court by [Frederick M. Vinson] - 1949

Washington DC, 1949. SIGNED by all nine Supreme Court Justices of what was known as the Vinson Court ('46 - '53). This B&W period photograph is copyrighted by Bachrach with raised authentication in lower left corner. A similar, but different year, copy of this photograph, also with original signatures, is in the Harry S Truman Library in Independence, MO. This is likely 1949 as the ties worn by the justices match match the ones in a known photo labeled "October Term 1949". Affixed to the top left corner is the personal card of "Mr. Justice Clark and Mrs. Clark". There is no provenance that this copy belonged to Justice Clark or if it was originally a gift. Overall, this item is in Good+ condition with historical significance. Three minute chips on left edge, a 1/4" chip on right edge, several minor impressions above the group and one lower left. Tide mark at the signed, bottom of the matte, but did not bleed signatures.<br /> <br /> Chief Justice Vinson, Fred Moore, 1890-1953; Associate Justices; Reed, Stanley Forman, 1884-1980.; Minton, Sherman, 1890-1965; Jackson, Robert Houghwout, 1892-1954; Frankfurter, Felix, 1882-1965; Douglas, William Orville, 1898- 1980; Clark, Tom Campbell, 1899-1977; Burton, Harold Hitz), 1888-1964; Black, Hugo LaFayette, 1886-1971<br /> <br /> Frederick "Fred" Moore Vinson was a Democratic politician who served the United States in all three branches of government. He was the 13th Chief Justice, the 53rd Secretary of the Treasury and multiple terms as a Representative from Kentucky. Vinson was a close confidante of Truman, even to the point of being encouraged by Truman to run for president in 1952. The major issues his court dealt with included racial segregation, labor unions, communism, and loyalty oaths. On racial segregation, he wrote that states practicing the separate but equal doctrine must provide facilities that were truly equal. The case of Brown v. Board of Education was before the Court at the time of his death. <br /> <br /> Bachrach Studios is one of the oldest continuously operating photography studios in the world. It was founded in Baltimore in 1868 by David Bachrach, Jr. He took the only known photo of Abraham Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address. The studio has photographed every US Head of State since then. "The basis of the First Amendment is the hypothesis that speech can rebut speech, propaganda will answer propaganda, free debate of ideas will result in the wisest governmental policies." - Frederick M. Vinson.