Yes, Clarence Thomas does have children. Specifically, Justice Clarence Thomas has one biological child from his first marriage – a son named Jamal Adeen Thomas.
Appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1991 by President George H.W. Bush, Clarence Thomas keeps his personal life fairly private. However, over the decades, some insights have emerged into Thomas’ close-knit family and his role as a father.
From Rural Georgia to the Halls of Power
To understand Clarence Thomas the father, it helps to examine Clarence Thomas the person. He was born in 1948 in Pin Point, Georgia, a small, impoverished town near Savannah. The Justice recalls relying on food stamps and charity while being raised primarily by his grandparents.
After attending Holy Cross College in Massachusetts, Thomas earned his law degree from Yale University. He built a career focused on constitutional law and conservative politics.
In the 1980s, Thomas took on prominent roles in the Reagan administration, serving as Assistant Secretary of Education and EEOC Chairman. His Supreme Court nomination in 1991 ignited controversy but was ultimately confirmed by a narrow Senate vote.
Thomas’ early life experiences with poverty and racism shaped his self-reliant, pragmatic outlook. Now approaching 30 years on the Court, he’s emerged as one of its most conservative members.
Becoming a Father: Jamal Adeen Thomas
In 1971, Clarence Thomas married Kathy Ambush, whom he’d met during his Holy Cross days. Two years later, in 1973, the couple had their only child: a son named Jamal Adeen Thomas.
Jamal spent his early childhood in Virginia, where his father worked as a federal lawyer. By many accounts, Clarence embraced fatherhood with warmth, care, and an intent focus on providing for his son.
“He was a strict dad, but a loving dad,” recalls Stephen F. Smith, a former Thomas clerk.
Thomas endeavored to make time for evening activities with his son, even amid the demands of his burgeoning law career.
“Whatever he was involved himself in, he involved his son in," reflected former colleague Al Pearson in a profile of the Justice.
jamalTable
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1973 | Jamal Adeen Thomas born to Clarence and Kathy Thomas |
| 1984 | Parents Clarence and Kathy divorce when Jamal is 11 |
| Early 1990s | Jamal graduates from Virginia Military Institute |
| 2000s | Jamal founds technical consulting firm in Virginia |
However, Jamal experienced parental absence during Clarence’s out-of-town work trips. The divorce also took an emotional toll when Jamal was just 11.
Jamal ultimately attended Virginia Military Institute, where he earned a degree in economics and business. He later founded a Virginia-based technology consulting firm, clearly charting his own professional path apart from this famous father.
Co-Parenting After Divorce
In 1984, when Jamal was 11, his parents Clarence and Kathy divorced after 13 years of marriage. The reasons behind their split were not publicized.
Thomas did reflect that the failure of his first marriage was “painful and difficult.” Yet he and Kathy apparently maintained an amicable co-parenting bond.
According to his memoir, Thomas traveled frequently between D.C. and Boston to visit his son after the breakup. He also flew Jamal down to spend summers with him. This continued devotion reveals Thomas’ commitment to fatherly duties, even in the face of marital collapse.
Stepmother Ginni
A few years after his divorce, Clarence Thomas found love again with attorney Ginni Lamp. The couple wed in 1987.
While Ginni brought no biological children into the marriage, accounts depict her cultivating a close bond with Jamal as his stepmother.
Ginni “treated Jamal like her own son,” says Stephen Smith. “She was very loving but also strict.”
The newlyweds also expanded the family by taking in Clarence’s young great-nephew Mark Martin after his parents ran into difficulties.
These experiences as a stepparent and caregiver only enriched Ginni’s role as a mother figure. When asked if she had regrets about not having her own children, Ginni firmly told the Washington Post in 2007, "I have Jamal and Mark.”
A Tight-Knit Extended Family
While Jamal represents Thomas’ only natural offspring, the Justice places great value on family ties. He’s shared a particularly close bond with his brother Myers Anderson, a successful business owner.
Thomas also helped raise his great-nephew Mark Martin, whom he considered “as a son.” Sadly, Mark passed away at age 43 after struggles with illness and addiction – a painful loss for Thomas.
But even in mourning, Thomas encontures support from his relatives. “He still has his family, his wife and his extended family,” cousin Evelyn Thompson told CNN at Mark’s funeral. This extended brood offers lifelong comfort.
Conservative Parenting
Friends and former colleagues say Thomas brought a firm moral compass and conservative social outlook to his parenting. He emphasized discipline, self-reliance and Catholic values.
“The justice is a very strict Catholic,” Stephen Smith notes. “That showed in the way he raised his son.”
Biographer Scott Douglas Gerber summarizes Thomas’ child-rearing philosophy as “you‘re not going to be able to count on Washington D.C. You‘re going to have to make your own way.” This bootstrap outlook defined his approach.
Harlan Crow‘s Generosity
Over the years, Texas billionaire Harlan Crow has offered extraordinary financial support to Thomas’ family.
Crow spent $1 million to establish the Clarence Thomas Center for Historical Analysis at George Mason University, where Ginni Thomas worked.
He paid $350,000 in private school tuition for Mark Martin.
In 1999, Crow provided $15 million to endow the Thomas Center at Heritage Foundation, a right-leaning think tank.
Such generosity has led to ethical questions, but Crow asserts he expects no favors in return. His lawyer said Crow simply “greatly admires Justice Thomas and his entire family.”
Looking Ahead: His Public Service Legacy
Clarence Thomas now has one grandchild, Jamal’s daughter. Though his own parental journey is largely complete, his career legacy remains a work in progress.
Nearing three decades on the High Court, Thomas has established himself as a steadfast voice for conservatism. He continues to rule on crucial issues shaping society – abortion, gun rights, executive powers, and affirmative action – even as more polarized politics swirl.
Yet through it all, Thomas stays focused on family. “The best job is being a granddad,” he said in one public Q&A session. For Thomas, despite the dizzying demands of justice, fatherhood remains life’s greatest honor.
