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List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Maryland

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This is a list of the first minority male lawyer(s) and judge(s) in Maryland. It includes the year in which the men were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are men who achieved other distinctions such becoming the first in their state to graduate from law school or become a political figure.

Firsts in Maryland's history

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Robert M. Bell: First African American male Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals (1996)

Law Clerk

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Lawyers

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  • First African American male to petition for admission to the Maryland State Bar: Edward Garrison Draper in 1857, but he was denied[3]
  • First African American male admitted to practice before Maryland's federal courts: James Harris Wolff in 1875[4]
  • First African American male: Everett J. Waring (1885)[5]

State judges

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  • First Jewish American male (Maryland Court of Appeals): Simon Sobeloff in 1952[6]
  • First African American male (court of record): E. Everett Lane (1923) in 1957[7]
  • First African American male (municipal court): Robert B. Watts in 1960[8]
  • First African American male (circuit court): George L. Russell Jr. (1954) in 1966[9][10][11]
  • First African American male (district court): J. Franklyn Bourne, Jr. (1948) in 1971[12][11]
  • First African American male (Maryland Special Court of Appeals): David T. Mason in 1974[13]
  • First African American male (Maryland Court of Appeals): Harry A. Cole (1949) in 1977[14]
  • First African American male (chief judge of any Maryland court): Michael Waring Lee in 1984[15][16][17]
  • First African American male (Chief Judge; Maryland Court of Appeals): Robert M. Bell (1969) in 1996[18]
  • First Hispanic American male: Ricardo Zwaig in 2010[19]
  • First African American and openly gay male (Chief Judge; Maryland Court of Special Appeals): E. Gregory Wells in 2022[20]

Federal judges

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Attorney General of Maryland

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Assistant Attorney General

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United States Attorney for the District of Maryland

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  • First Jewish American male: Simon Sobeloff in 1931[28]
  • First Asian American male: Robert Hur in 2018[29]
  • First African American male: Erek Barron in 2021[30]

Assistant United States Attorney

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County Attorney

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  • First African American male: Larnzell Martin, Jr. in 1986[32]

Maryland State Bar Association

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  • First African American male president: Harry S. Johnson in 2003[33]
  • First African American male posthumously admitted to the Bar by Supreme Court of Maryland: Edward Garrison Draper in 2023[34][35]

Firsts in local history

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  • Clayton Greene Jr. (1977):[36] First African American male judge in Anne Arundel County, Maryland (1989)
  • Everett Waring (1885):[37] First African American male lawyer admitted to the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City on October 10, 1885
  • Harry Sythe Cummings and Charles W. Johnson:[38] First African American males to graduate from the Maryland School of Law (1889)
  • George L. Russell Jr. (1954):[9] First African American male appointed as a City Solicitor and Judge of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City, Maryland
  • Joseph C. Howard Sr. (1955):[21][22] First African American male to serve on the Baltimore City Supreme Court (1968)
  • John R. Hargrove Sr. (1950):[31] First African American male appointed as the Administrative Judge of the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore City (1971)
  • George L. Rosedom:[39] First African American male to serve as an Assistant State's Attorney for the City of Baltimore
  • Michael L. "M.L." McCampbell:[40][41] First African American male judge in Baltimore County, Maryland (1990)
  • James R. Benjamin, Jr.:[42][43] First African American male to serve as the County Attorney of Baltimore County, Maryland (2019)
  • E. Gregory Wells:[20] First African American (male) to serve as the Calvert County State’s Attorney
  • William Davis, Jr.:[22] First African American male judge in Cecil County, Maryland
  • Anthony "Tony" Covington:[44] First African American male to serve as the State's Attorney for Charles County, Maryland (2011)
  • George Ames, Jr.:[45][46] First African American male judge in Dorchester County, Maryland. In 2023, he became the first African American male Chief Justice of the Dorchester County Orphans Court.[47]
  • Ricardo Zwaig:[19] First Hispanic American male in Howard County, Maryland (2010)
  • Richard "Rich" Gibson:[48] First African American male to serve as the State’s Attorney for Howard County, Maryland (2019)
  • DeLawrence Beard (1974):[49][50] First African American male judge in Montgomery County, Maryland (1982)
  • Brian G. Kim:[51] First Asian American male judge in Montgomery County, Maryland
  • Victor Del Pino:[52] First Latino American male to lead the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office’s gang prosecution unit. He later became a judge.
  • J. Franklyn Bourne, Jr. (1948):[12][11] First African American to set up a law practice (c. 1950s) and serve as a Judge of the District 5 Court (1971) in Prince George’s County, Maryland
  • Larnzell Martin, Jr.:[32] First African American male to serve as the County Attorney for Prince George's County, Maryland (1986)
  • James H. Taylor:[12] First African American male to serve as the Assistant State’s Attorney and a Circuit Court Judge for Prince George’s County, Maryland. He was also the first African American male member of the Prince George’s County Bar Association.
  • Howard S. Chasanow:[53] First Jewish American male to serve as the Assistant State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County, Maryland
  • Andrew Yslas:[54] First Hispanic American male to serve as the Assistant State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County, Maryland
  • Alexander Wiliiams Jr. (1973):[55] First African American male elected as the State's Attorney in Prince George's County, Maryland. He would later become a district court judge.
  • Gerald Purnell:[56] First African American male lawyer in Berlin, Worcester County, Maryland

See also

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Other topics of interest

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References

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  1. ^ "Larry Gibson's Biography". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  2. ^ Cassie, Ron (2013-07-07). "Setting Precedent". Baltimore Magazine. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  3. ^ Ford, William J. (2023-10-27). "State Supreme Court posthumously honors Edward Garrison Draper, the state's first Black lawyer". Maryland Matters. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  4. ^ Lovell Banks, Taunya (2004). "Setting the Record Straight: Maryland's First Black Women Law Graduates". Maryland Law Review. 63 (4).
  5. ^ Banks, Taunya Lovell (2004). "SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT: MARYLAND'S FIRST BLACK WOMEN LAW GRADUATES". Maryland Law Review.
  6. ^ "Art Inventory - Baltimore Courthouse - Simon E. Sobeloff". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  7. ^ "E.E. Lane, 1st Md. Black Judge, Dies". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  8. ^ O'Brien, Frederick N. Rasmussen and Dennis. "Judge Robert B. Watts, 76, dies Civil rights lawyer, Circuit Court jurist, drew people together". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  9. ^ a b "George L. Russell, MSA SC 3520-11548". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  10. ^ Donovan, David Nitkin and Doug. "Agreement reached on city schools". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
  11. ^ a b c The Maryland Bar Journal. Maryland State Bar Association. 1986.
  12. ^ a b c "J. Franklyn Bourne, Jr. | Prince George's County Judicial, MD". www.princegeorgescourts.org. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
  13. ^ Rasmussen, Frederick N. "David Mason, 88, Cabinet secretary, first black appellate judge in Md". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
  14. ^ "Harry Cole Dies". Washington Post. 1999-02-16. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-01-10.
  15. ^ Rasmussen, Fred. "Michael Waring Lee, 42, Orphans' Court chief judge". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
  16. ^ Ltd, Earl G. Graves (March 1985). Black Enterprise. Earl G. Graves, Ltd.
  17. ^ Upon Lee's appointment as the Chief Judge of the Orphans' Court of Baltimore City in 1985
  18. ^ Sun, Jean Marbella and Andrea F. Siegel, The Baltimore. "Chief judge of Maryland Court of Appeals retiring". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2018-01-29.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ a b "Judge receives first Hispanic Leadership Award - Baltimore Sun". digitaledition.baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  20. ^ a b "Governor Hogan Announces Nine Judicial Appointments, Historic Nominees For Maryland's Appellate Courts". Governor of Maryland. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
  21. ^ a b "Joseph Howard dies, pioneer black judge". tribunedigital-baltimoresun. Retrieved 2018-01-18.
  22. ^ a b c Schenke, Leann (January 27, 2019). "Davis Promotes Community Services at Annual MLK Breakfast". Retrieved 2020-03-12 – via PressReader.
  23. ^ "Congressional Record, Volume 162 Issue 84 (Thursday, May 26, 2016)". www.gpo.gov. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  24. ^ "Nominations Of George Hazel And Theodore Chuang | U.S. Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland". www.cardin.senate.gov. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  25. ^ "CAPAC Lauds Confirmation of Theodore David Chuang to U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland". Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  26. ^ "Anthony Brown Becomes Maryland's First Black Attorney General". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  27. ^ "Portraits of the Bar Library - Judge Harry A. Cole". www.barlib.org. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  28. ^ Landman, Isaac; Cohen, Simon (1943). The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia ...: An Authoritative and Popular Presentation of Jews and Judaism Since the Earliest Times. Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Incorporated.
  29. ^ "Biden nominates Erek Barron to be U.S. Attorney for Maryland, first Democrat nominated in 20 years". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  30. ^ Fenton, Justin. "Former Del. Erek Barron sworn in to become Maryland's first Black U.S. Attorney". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  31. ^ a b Company, Johnson Publishing (1984-02-27). Baltimore Judge Tabbed for Federal Bench Post Will Be Maryland's First. Jet. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  32. ^ a b Hill, Retha; Hariston, Keith (May 6, 1988). "GLENDENING APPOINTS 2 COUNTY ATTORNEYS". The Washington Post.
  33. ^ Walker, Andrea K. "State bar elects its first black president". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  34. ^ "Maryland Supreme Court posthumously admits Black man to bar, 166 years after rejecting him - CBS Baltimore". www.cbsnews.com. 2023-10-26. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  35. ^ Draper applied for admission to the Maryland State Bar in 1857, but was denied because of his ethnicity.
  36. ^ Focus. Joint Center for Political Studies. 1989.
  37. ^ David S. Bogen, The Transformation of the Fourteenth Amendment: Reflections from the Admission of Maryland's First Black Attorneys, 44 Md. L. Rev. 939-1046 (1986).
  38. ^ Banks, Taunya Lovell (2004). "Setting the Record Straight: Maryland's First Black Women Law Graduates". Maryland Law Review. 63 (4).
  39. ^ Woodson, Carter Godwin (1984). Negro History Bulletin. Association for the Study of Negro Life and History.
  40. ^ O'Brien, Dennis. "M.L. McCampbell, 63, 1st black judge in Balto. County". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  41. ^ Carson, Larry. "Delegate Arnick named as District Court judge Appointment opens Dundalk seat and Judiciary Committee leadership". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  42. ^ "BSOS Alumnus James R. Benjamin, Jr. Named as Baltimore County Attorney | BSOS | Behavioral & Social Sciences College | University of Maryland". bsos.umd.edu. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
  43. ^ "Baltimore County Council approves James R. Benjamin Jr. as County Attorney | The Baltimore Watchdog". baltimorewatchdog.com. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
  44. ^ Directors, Charles County Bar Association, Board of. "Anthony Covington". Charles County Bar Association. Retrieved 2021-03-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  45. ^ "Rev. George Ames inducted into Maryland Senior Hall of Fame". MyEasternShoreMD. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
  46. ^ Trainer, Mark (2017-07-20). "A small Maryland city looks to its future". ShareAmerica. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
  47. ^ "Judge George Ames Jr. sworn in as the first Black Chief Judge of the Dorchester County Orphan's Court". 47abc. 2023-08-01. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
  48. ^ Nocera, Jess. "Howard County's first African-American state's attorney talks about history and his vision for the future". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
  49. ^ Londo, Ernesto (2008-02-07). "Circuit Judge Retires After 25 Years". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  50. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (1984-06-18). People - "DeLawrence Beard". Jet. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  51. ^ Association, Community Contributor American Osteopathic. "American Osteopathic Association Taps Veteran Attorney to Lead Accreditation of Osteopathic Medical Schools". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2018-02-15. {{cite news}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  52. ^ Andrew Schotz (2019-11-01). "Governor Appoints Montgomery County District Judge". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  53. ^ "Military funeral for Arthur A. "Bud" Marshall, longtime Pr. George's state's attorney". Washington Post. 2024-05-13. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
  54. ^ Saxon, Carolyn Starks (March 2011). "The History Corner" (PDF). PGCBA News Journal.
  55. ^ Focus. Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. 1994.
  56. ^ BONNER, ALICE (1982-05-26). "Antioch's Tradition Lawyers for The Needy". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
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