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In 1854, Harlan was elected city attorney of [[Frankfort, Kentucky]], and he was re-elected to the position in 1856.<ref name="ANB"/> When the Whig Party was dissolved around this time, Harlan became a member of the [[Know nothing party|Know Nothing Party]].<ref name="ANB"/> Harlan gave several speeches as a Know Nothing member that were anti-immigrant in nature "that would later haunt him."<ref name="ANB"/> In 1858, Harlan was elected as county judge of Franklin County, Kentucky as a Know Nothing.<ref name="ANB"/> Harlan later switched party affiliation to the Opposition Party, and ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1859.<ref name="ANB"/>

In 1854, Harlan was elected city attorney of [[Frankfort, Kentucky]], and he was re-elected to the position in 1856.<ref name="ANB"/> When the Whig Party was dissolved around this time, Harlan became a member of the [[Know nothing party|Know Nothing Party]].<ref name="ANB"/> Harlan gave several speeches as a Know Nothing member that were anti-immigrant in nature "that would later haunt him."<ref name="ANB"/> In 1858, Harlan was elected as county judge of Franklin County, Kentucky as a Know Nothing.<ref name="ANB"/> Harlan later switched party affiliation to the Opposition Party, and ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1859.<ref name="ANB"/>

In 1860, Harlan switched parties again to the Constitutional Union Party and supported it's candidate, [[John Bell]], for president.<ref name="ANB"/> He supported the party because it supported the Union as opposed to succession but opposed abolitionism.<ref name="ANB"/> During the [[Civil War]], Harlan was a strong supporter of remaining in the Union, and in September 1861, he "formed the Tenth Kentucky Volunteers, serving as the unit's colonel and seeing action in both his home state and [[Tennessee]]."<ref name="ANB"/> In February of 1863, president [[Abraham Lincoln]]"recommended to Congress that Harlan be promoted to brigadier general," however, due to the recent death of his father, Harlan declined the nomination and resigned from the army.<ref name="ANB"/>

In 1860, Harlan switched parties again to the Constitutional Union Party and supported its candidate, [[John Bell]], for president.<ref name="ANB"/> He supported the party because it supported the Union as opposed to succession but opposed abolitionism.<ref name="ANB"/> During the [[Civil War]], Harlan was a strong supporter of remaining in the Union, and in September 1861, he "formed the Tenth Kentucky Volunteers, serving as the unit's colonel and seeing action in both his home state and [[Tennessee]]."<ref name="ANB"/> In February of 1863, president [[Abraham Lincoln]] "recommended to Congress that Harlan be promoted to brigadier general," however, due to the recent death of his father, Harlan declined the nomination and resigned from the army.<ref name="ANB"/>

Three weeks after resigning from the Union army, Harlan was nominated by the Union Party for the position of Attorney General of Kentucky, and he easily won the election.<ref name="ANB"/> For the 1864 presidential election, Harlan supported Democrat [[George McClellan]] for president against Lincoln, due to the latter's support of the [[Emancipation Proclamation]] and the [[Thirteenth Amendment]].<ref name="ANB"/> Harlan's support for the Democratic Party would soon fade due to the party's support for letting former Confederates take part in state politics.<ref name="ANB"/> Harlan ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in January 1867, and ran unsuccessfully for re-election as Attorney General in 1868 as a Conservative Unionist.<ref name="ANB"/>

Three weeks after resigning from the Union army, Harlan was nominated by the Union Party for the position of Attorney General of Kentucky, and he easily won the election.<ref name="ANB"/> For the 1864 presidential election, Harlan supported Democrat [[George McClellan]] for president against Lincoln, due to the latter's support of the [[Emancipation Proclamation]] and the [[Thirteenth Amendment]].<ref name="ANB"/> Harlan's support for the Democratic Party would soon fade due to the party's support for letting former Confederates take part in state politics.<ref name="ANB"/> Harlan then ran unsuccessfully for both the U.S. Senate in January 1867 and for re-election as Attorney General in 1868 as a Conservative Unionist.<ref name="ANB"/>

In 1868, Harlan became a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] and supported [[Ulysses S. Grant]] for president.<ref name="ANB"/>

In 1868, Harlan became a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] and supported [[Ulysses S. Grant]] for president.<ref name="ANB"/>

Although Harlan had opposed succession during the Civil War,<ref name="ANB"/> he supported slavery and opposed the Emancipation Proclamation.<ref name="ANB"/><ref name="PBS">[http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/antebellum/robes_harlan.html John Marshall Harlan - Supreme Court History]. ''PBS.org''. December 2006. Retrieved August 27, 2016.</ref> Harlan also opposed the Thirteenth Amendment when it was proposed, on the grounds that it violated state sovereignty.<ref name="ANB"/> However, after the election of Grant as president in 1868, he renounced those views and switched to supporting civil rights, endorsing the Thirteenth and [[Fourteenth Amendment]]s to the United States Constitution.<ref name="ANB"/><ref name="PBS"/>

Although Harlan had opposed succession during the Civil War,<ref name="ANB"/> he supported slavery and opposed the Emancipation Proclamation.<ref name="ANB"/><ref name="PBS">[http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/antebellum/robes_harlan.html John Marshall Harlan - Supreme Court History]. ''PBS.org''. December 2006. Retrieved August 27, 2016.</ref> Harlan also opposed the Thirteenth Amendment when it was proposed, on the grounds that it violated state sovereignty.<ref name="ANB"/> However, after the election of Grant as president in 1868, he renounced those views and switched to supporting civil rights, endorsing the Thirteenth and [[Fourteenth Amendment]]s to the United States Constitution.<ref name="ANB"/><ref name="PBS"/>

Harlan ran several unsuccessful campaigns during this time, first for Kentucky governor in 1871, for U.S. Senate in 1872, and for governor again in 1875.<ref name="ANB"/> Despite this, he was rising in political stature, having been widely speculated to be chosen as Grant's running mate in 1872, and being offered the position of U.S. Ambassador to England in 1877 by president [[Rutherford B. Hayes]], whom Harlan had been instrumental in helping to become president.<ref name="ANB"/> Harlan rejected the latter offer in exchange for a nomination to the vacant Supreme Court seat.<ref name="ANB"/>

After his switch to the GOP, Harlan ran several unsuccessful campaigns for office, first for Kentucky governor in 1871, for U.S. Senate in 1872, and for governor again in 1875.<ref name="ANB"/> Despite this, he was rising in political stature, having been widely speculated to be chosen as Grant's running mate in 1872, and being offered the position of U.S. Ambassador to England in 1877 by president [[Rutherford B. Hayes]], whom Harlan had been instrumental in helping to become president.<ref name="ANB"/> Harlan rejected the latter offer in exchange for a nomination to the vacant Supreme Court seat.<ref name="ANB"/>

===Supreme Court Justice===

===Supreme Court Justice===