List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Georgia
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
This is a list of the first minority male lawyer(s) and judge(s) in Georgia. It includes the year in which the men were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are other distinctions such as the first minority men in their state to obtain a law degree or become a political figure.
Firsts in Georgia's history[edit]
Lawyers[edit]
- First African American male: Judson Whitlocke Lyons (1884)[1][2]
- First African American male to practice before the Supreme Court of Georgia: Henry Moses Porter in 1901[3]
State judges[edit]
- First African American male: Austin "A.T." Walden (1911) in 1964[4]
- First African American male (trial court): Horace Ward (1959) in 1974[5][6][7][8]
- First African American male (temporary; Supreme Court of Georgia): Clarence Cooper in 1985[9]
- First African American male (permanent; Supreme Court of Georgia and Chief Justice): Robert Benham (1970) in 1989 and 1995 respectively[9][10]
- First Asian American male elected (state court): Alvin "Al" T. Wong (1976) in 1998[11][12]
- First Korean American (male) (judicial office): Chung Hun Lee (1983) in 1999[13][14][15]
- First Hispanic American male (state court): Roland Castellanos in 1999[16][17]
- First Hispanic American male (trial court): J. Antonio DelCampo in 2002[18][19]
- First Jewish American male (Chief Judge; Georgia Court of Appeals): Arnold Shulman[20]
- First African American male (Chief Judge; Georgia Court of Appeals): John "Jack" H. Ruffin Jr. in 2005[21][22]
- First Asian American male (juvenile court): Tony Baker in 2007[15]
- First Asian American male elected (Cambodian descent) (superior court): Meng H. Lim (1998) in 2014[23][24][25]
- First Hispanic American male (superior court): Dean Carlos Bucci (1997) in 2015[26][27]
- First Vietnamese American (male) (municipal court): Ethan Pham in 2018[15]
Federal judges[edit]
- First African American male (federal court): Horace Ward (1959) in 1979[5][6][7][8][28]
- First African American male (U.S. District Court of the Middle District of Georgia): Willie Louis Sands (1974) in 1994[29][30]
Attorney General of Georgia[edit]
- First African American male: Thurbert Baker from 1997-2011[31]
Assistant Solicitor General of Georgia[edit]
- First Iranian American male: Mazi Mazloom (1998)[32]
United States Attorneys[edit]
- First African American male (Southern District of Georgia): Ed Tarver (1991) in 2009[33][34]
- First Asian American male (Korean descent) (Northern District of Georgia): B. J. Pak in 2018[35]
District Attorney[edit]
- First African American male elected: Paul L. Howard, Jr. in 1997[36]
Political office[edit]
Associations[edit]
- Alvin "Al" T. Wong (1976):[11][12] First Asian American male to serve as the President of the Council of State Court Judges in Georgia (2021)
Firsts in local history[edit]
- Chevene Bowers King (1952):[38] First African American male lawyer to practice in Southwest Georgia
- Alvin "Al" T. Wong (1976):[11] First Asian American male to be elected as a judge in the Southeastern United States
- Kenneth Dious:[39] First African American male lawyer in Northeast Georgia
- Miguel Dominguez:[40] First Latino American male to work as a prosecutor in the Atlanta Judicial Circuit
- Jared Williams:[41] First African American male to serve as the District Attorney of the Augusta Judicial Circuit (2020) [Burke, Columbia, and Augusta-Richmond Counties, Georgia]
- John "Jack" H. Ruffin Jr.:[21][22] First African American male admitted to the Augusta Bar Association (1961) and to serve as a Superior Court judge in the Augusta Judicial Circuit (1986) [Columbia and Richmond Counties, Georgia]
- Bill Pledger (c. 1880s):[42] First African American male lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia [DeKalb County and Fulton County, Georgia]
- Clarence Cooper (1967):[43] First African American male Judge of the Atlanta Municipal Court (DeKalb County and Fulton County, Georgia; 1975). He would later become a district court judge.
- Edward L. Baety (1968):[4] First African American male judge of the municipal traffic court in Atlanta, Georgia (DeKalb County and Fulton County, Georgia; 1975)
- Horace J. Johnson Jr. (1982):[44] First African American male lawyer in Newton County, Georgia. He later became the first African American male to serve as a Judge of the Alcovy Judicial Circuit in 2002. [Newton and Walton Counties, Georgia]
- Willie Louis Sands (1974):[29][30] First African American male judge in Bibb County, Georgia
- Lester B. Johnson III (1979):[45] First African American male to serve as the President of the Savannah Bar Association (1996) [Chatham County, Georgia]
- Jeremy Abernathy:[46] First African American male to serve as a municipal judge for Woodstock, Georgia (2021)
- Aaron Mason:[47] First African American male to serve as a Judge of the Clayton County Superior Court
- Ethan Pham:[15] First Asian American (who is of Vietnamese descent) male judge in Clayton County, Georgia (2018)
- Alvin "Al" T. Wong (1976):[11] First Asian American male elected as a judge in DeKalb County, Georgia (1998)
- Seth Kirschenbaum:[48] First Jewish male to serve as the President of the Atlanta Bar Association, Georgia (2001)
- J. Antonio DelCampo:[18][19] First Hispanic American male to serve as a Judge of the State Court of DeKalb County in Georgia (2002)
- Mike Jacobs:[49] First openly LGBT judge in DeKalb County, Georgia (2018)[50]
- Horace Ward (c. 1960):[51][6][7] First African American male to serve as a Judge of the Civil Court of Fulton County (1974) and Superior Court of Fulton County (1977), Georgia
- Paul L. Howard, Jr.:[36] First African American male elected to serve as the District Attorney of Fulton County, Georgia (1997)
- Robert D. Walker Jr. (1989):[52] First African American male judge in Gwinnett County, Georgia
- Chung Hun Lee (1983):[13][14] First Korean American male lawyer and judge in Gwinnett County, Georgia
- Deepak "DJ" Jeyaram:[53] First South Asian male judge in Gwinnett County, Georgia (2016)
- Ramon Alvarado:[54] First Latino American and Korean American male judge in Gwinnett County, Georgia (2019)
- Joe Diaz:[55] First Latino American male to serve as a Judge in the Northeastern Judicial District, Georgia (2015) [Hall County, Georgia]
- Meng H. Lim (1998):[23][24][25] First Asian American male (Cambodian American) elected as a Judge of the Superior Court of Tallapoosa Circuit (2014) [Haralson County, Georgia]
- Darius Pattillo:[56] First African American male to serve as the District Attorney of Henry County, Alabama (2017)
- Albert Thompson:[57][58] First African American male lawyer in Columbus, as well as the first African American male jurist in Muscogee County, Georgia
- Dean Carlos Bucci (1997):[26][27] First Hispanic American male to serve as a Superior Court Judge of the Paulding Judicial Circuit, Georgia (2015)
- Charles Mays:[59] First African American male probate judge in Rockdale County, Georgia
- Robert L. Moore:[60] First African American male to serve as the Assistant District Attorney in Thomasville, Georgia [Thomas County, Georgia]
- Larry Mims:[61] First African American male lawyer and judge in Tift County, Georgia
- Monroe G. Worthy:[62] First African American male to serve as a Justice of the Peace in Upson County, Georgia
- Rodney B. Weaver:[63] First African American male to serve as a Judge of the Whitfield County Magistrate Court (2019)
See also[edit]
Other topics of interest[edit]
- List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States
- List of first woman lawyers and judges in Georgia
References[edit]
- ^ "Ever wonder who was signing the checks currency..." Smithsonian Transcription Center. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
- ^ "Urban Pro Weekly". issuu. Retrieved 2018-01-02.
- ^ Smith, J. Clay Jr. (1999). Emancipation: The Making of the Black Lawyer, 1844-1944. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 978-0-8122-1685-1.
- ^ a b Smith, Jessie Carney (2012-12-01). Black Firsts: 4,000 Ground-Breaking and Pioneering Historical Events. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 9781578594252.
- ^ a b "African American History Month - 2017". gaprobate.gov. 2017-01-30. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
- ^ a b c Law and Justice: Poetic Justice. Johnson Publishing Company. 1980-01-24.
- ^ a b c Daniels, Maurice C. (2001). Horace T. Ward: Desegregation of the University of Georgia, Civil Rights Advocacy, and Jurisprudence. Clark Atlanta University Press. ISBN 9780966855531.
- ^ a b "Horace Ward, Georgia's first black federal judge - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
- ^ a b Martin, Mart (2018-04-24). The Almanac Of Women And Minorities In American Politics 2002. Routledge. ISBN 9780429976483.
- ^ "Justice Robert Benham". Supreme Court of Georgia. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
- ^ a b c d "Judge Al Wong, DeKalb County State Court | Daily Report". Daily Report. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
- ^ a b "Wong Makes History in Georgia: Council of State Court Judges Elects First Asian American President". Daily Report. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
- ^ a b "2012 Benham Award Recipients". Retrieved 2018-02-15.
- ^ a b "The Delta - v131n2 - Chapter and Alumni News - Sigma Nu Fraternity, Inc". www.sigmanu.org. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
- ^ a b c d "Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month". The Georgia Courts Journal. 2021-05-26. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
- ^ "Council of State Court Judges: Directory" (PDF). Council of State Court Judges. 2021.
- ^ "Meet Roland Castellanos". Castellanos Law Group. 2021-03-13. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
- ^ a b Megan Matteucci, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "DeKalb judge announces resignation". ajc. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
- ^ a b "Georgia Hispanic Bar Association - J. Antonio DelCampo". www.georgiahispanicbar.org. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
- ^ "The Death of Judge Arnold Shulman: End of an Era? – DeKalb Bar News". Retrieved 2020-03-11.
- ^ a b Cooper, Sylvia. "Pioneering Augusta black jurist Ruffin passes away". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
- ^ a b "Congressional Record, Volume 156 Issue 34 (Wednesday, March 10, 2010)". www.govinfo.gov. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
- ^ a b "Meng Lim". www.gabar.org. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
- ^ a b Lameiras, By Maria M. "On His Honor : Emory Magazine". www.emory.edu. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
- ^ a b "Georgia's first Asian American Superior Court judge makes mark in history". Atlanta Daily World. 2015-01-08. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
- ^ a b "Georgia's first Hispanic Superior Court Judge, Dean Bucci, hits the ground running". Latina Lista: News from the Latinx perspective. 2015-05-11. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
- ^ a b "Deal appoints Paulding Judicial Circuit Superior Court judge | Governor Nathan Deal Office of the Governor". gov.georgia.gov. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
- ^ Upon Ward's appointment as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia in 1979
- ^ a b "Judge W. Louis Sands, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Georgia | Daily Report". Daily Report. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
- ^ a b Judiciary, United States Congress Senate Committee on the (1995). Confirmation hearings on federal appointments: hearings before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Third Congress, first session on confirmations of appointees to the federal judiciary. U.S. Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780160522598.
- ^ "Georgia Attorney General Joins Race for Governor - The Eye (CQ Politi…". archive.is. 2011-07-08. Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
- ^ "The Mazloom Law Firm, LLC". www.mazilaw.com. Retrieved 2019-01-09.
- ^ "New U.S. attorney answers call". savannahnow.com. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
- ^ "Tarver, Enoch form new law practice". Retrieved 2018-02-14.
- ^ McDonald, R. Robin (July 25, 2017). "Pak's Nomination a 'Great Leap' for Georgia's Asian-Americans". Daily Report. Retrieved 2018-12-14.
- ^ a b "Paul L. Howard, Jr.: Fulton County District Attorney". www.atlantafultoncountyda.org. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
- ^ "Meet Sam Park, first openly gay man elected to Georgia's General Assembly". NBC News. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
- ^ "C. B. King (1923-1988)". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
- ^ Priest, Rachel. "Sitting With the Elders exhibit highlighting influential black Athenians to become book". The Red and Black. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
- ^ "TOP LATINO LAWYERS OF 2018. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
- ^ Legoas, Miguel. "Jared Williams sworn in as district attorney for Augusta Judicial Circuit". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
- ^ Mason, Herman (2000). Politics, Civil Rights, and Law in Black Atlanta, 1870-1970. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9780752409856.
- ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (1976-02-12). Jet. Johnson Publishing Company.
- ^ Woolsey, Mark. "Superior Court Judge Horace J. Johnson Jr. dead at 61". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
- ^ "Faith M.B.C. to Celebrate Friends & Family Day". savannahherald.net. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
- ^ Campbell, Donald. "Meet Judge Abernathy, Woodstock's first Black appointee on the municipal court bench". MDJOnline.com. Retrieved 2022-01-24.
- ^ Dunlap, Stanley. "Kemp Interviews Justice Candidates In Georgia Supreme Court Makeover". Georgia Public Broadcasting. Retrieved 2022-01-24.
- ^ Jordan, George (September–October 2008). "Professionalism and ethical behavior drive attorney Seth Kirschenbaum" (PDF). The Jewish Georgian.
- ^ "An Interview with Judge Mike Jacobs - The Nation's First Openly Bisexual Judge". The National LGBTBar Association. 2018-11-13. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
- ^ Jacobs has been serving on the bench since 2015.
- ^ "African American History Month - 2017". gaprobate.gov. 2017-01-30. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
- ^ "Current Magistrate Judge moves up to chief, new judge moves in" (PDF). County Line. 16:5. May 2008.
- ^ "GCBA November News: Run for Justice, Case Updates, Law Day Sponsor Request, and more!". archive.constantcontact.com. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
- ^ Tyler Estep, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Gwinnett's first Hispanic judge joins ranks of recent history makers". ajc. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ "Joe Diaz sworn in as new Juvenile Court judge". www.gainesvilletimes.com. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
- ^ Joyner, Tammy (January 10, 2017). "Henry's first black DA to be sworn-in". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
- ^ "A Guide to Our Legacy: East Porterdale, Porterdale, Riverdale" (PDF). Riverdale-Porterdale Cemetery Foundation.
- ^ "Thompson, trailblazing lawmaker and jurist, dies at 82". AccessWDUN. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
- ^ "Celebrating Black History". Issuu. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
- ^ "NEWS ALUMNI. Wisdom from Washington. A publication of Indiana Law Spring class - PDF Free Download". docplayer.net. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
- ^ Matthews, Juan DeRahn. "Guest column: Tift County's black movers, shakers and trailblazers". The Tifton Gazette. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
- ^ "THE MAKERS AND MOULDERS OF UPSON COUNTY". UHS Newsletter. October 1998.
- ^ "New Magistrate Court Judge Weaver recognized". The Daily Citizen. Retrieved 2020-03-12.