Douglas was born in Maine Township, Minnesota. His family moved to California, and then Cleveland, Washington. His father died in Portland, Oregon in 1904, when he was only six years old. In 1916, Douglas won a scholarship to Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. He taught at Yakima High School for two years before attending Columbia University Law School, graduating in 1925. After practicing law and teaching at Columbia and later Yale University, he joined the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, becoming Chairman in 1937. He finally was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Supreme Court in 1939.

During his tenure on the bench, Justice Douglas achieved a number of records and distinctions. Along with the longevity record, he also established the records for the most opinions written, the most dissents written, the most speeches given, and the most books authored by any member of the Supreme Court. He also achieved a few less savory records, such as the most wives (four), the most divorces while on the bench (three), and the most attempts at impeachment (three). None of these records have been surpassed.