Read about the appointment of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. What effect did the controversy have on the public?

Clarence Thomas was appointed to the Supreme Court by President George H.W. Bush in 1991. Thomas's confirmation hearings were highly controversial due to allegations of sexual harassment made by law professor Anita Hill, who had worked for Thomas at the Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

During the hearings, Hill testified that Thomas had made inappropriate sexual remarks and advances towards her. Thomas denied the allegations and referred to the hearings as a "high-tech lynching." Ultimately, Thomas was confirmed by the Senate in a close vote of 52-48.

The controversy surrounding Thomas's confirmation had a significant impact on the public. It sparked national debate on sexual harassment in the workplace and raised questions about the treatment of women in male-dominated fields. Many women saw Hill as a trailblazer for coming forward with her allegations, while others saw her as a pawn in a political game.

The controversy also highlighted the deep divisions within the country along racial and gender lines, with many African Americans supporting Thomas and many women supporting Hill. The hearings brought issues of race, gender, and power to the forefront of public discourse and left a lasting impact on the Supreme Court and American society as a whole.