Clarence Thomas chokes up as he reveals promise he made after grandparents’ sudden deaths

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas choked up recalling a promise he made after his grandparents’ deaths during a wide-ranging conversation about economist Thomas Sowell’s influence on his thinking and views on Black Americans.

"When both my grandparents died suddenly in 1983, the decision I made was to live the rest of my life as a memorial to theirs," Thomas shared with Hoover Institution fellow Peter Robinson during an on-stage discussion.

The conversation paused for a few seconds as Thomas gathered his composure.