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List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Pennsylvania

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This is a list of the first minority male lawyer(s) and judge(s) in Pennsylvania. 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 graduate from law school or become a political figure.

Firsts in Pennsylvania's history

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Jonathan Jasper Wright: First African American male lawyer in Pennsylvania (1865)
Eduardo C. Robreno: First Cuban American male Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (1992)

Lawyers

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State judges

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Federal judges

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  • First African American male (United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania): A. Leon Higginbotham Jr. (1952) in 1964[33]
  • First African American male (United States District Court of the Western District of Pennsylvania): Paul Allen Simmons (1949) in 1978[34]
  • First Cuban American male (United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania): Eduardo C. Robreno (1978) in 1992[30]
  • First African American male (Chief Judge; United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania): Gary L. Lancaster (1974) in 2009[35]
  • First Hispanic American male (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit): Luis Felipe Restrepo (1986) in 2016[36]
  • First Latino American male (Chief Judge; United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania): Juan Ramon Sanchez (1981) in 2018[37][38]

District Attorney

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Political Office

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  • Daniel Anders:[41] First openly LGBT male (a lawyer) to run for public office and win a judicial seat in Pennsylvania (2007)
  • Brian Sims (2004):[42] First openly LGBT male (a lawyer) elected as a state legislator in Pennsylvania (2012)

Pennsylvania Bar Association

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  • First Jewish male president: Gilbert "Ott" Nurick in 1967[43]
  • First Puerto Rican male admitted: Nelson A. Diaz (1972)[12][13]
  • First African American male president: Michael H. Reed from 2004 to 2005[44]

Firsts in local history

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See also

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Other topics of interest

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References

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  1. ^ a b Peters, Madison Clinton (1915). The Jews who Stood by Washington: An Unwritten Chapter in American History. Trow Press. p. 22.
  2. ^ a b Kurtz, Seymour (1985). Jewish America. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 9780070356559.
  3. ^ a b Encyclopaedia Judaica. Macmillan. 1971.
  4. ^ a b Sloan, Irving J. (1978). The Jews in America, 1621-1977: A Chronology & Fact Book. Oceana Publications. ISBN 9780379005301.
  5. ^ Smith, J. Clay Jr. (January 1, 1999). Emancipation: The Making of the Black Lawyer, 1844-1944. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 0812216857.
  6. ^ Wright would later practice in South Carolina and become the first African American male appointed as a Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court (1870).
  7. ^ The Indian's Friend. Women's National Indian Association. 1905.
  8. ^ a b c Representatives, Pennsylvania General Assembly House of (1965). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Legislative Directory, [House of Representatives]. House of Representatives of Pennsylvania.
  9. ^ a b c Outlook for the Blind. American Foundation for the Blind. 1949.
  10. ^ The Pennsylvania Lawyer. Pennsylvania Bar Association. January 1, 2003.
  11. ^ "Latina in charge of the PBA". AL DÍA News. July 17, 2017. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  12. ^ a b c "Honorable Nelson A. Diaz". Dilworth Paxson LLP.
  13. ^ a b c Timpane, John (October 3, 2018). "Nelson Díaz on a lifetime of being 'the first Latino'". The Inquirer. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  14. ^ a b "Our History". Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  15. ^ "1st Filipino to pass the PA Bar Exam without studying law in the U.S." The FilAm. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  16. ^ McCrystal, Laura (December 11, 2020). "A former Philly homicide prosecutor fired by District Attorney Larry Krasner is challenging him for reelection". Inquirer. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  17. ^ Wereschagin, Mike (October 21, 2011). "Social worker Thelma Lovette honored as building block of Hill". McClatchy-Tribune Business News. ProQuest 899289120.
  18. ^ a b Mack, Kenneth W. (May 2012). Representing the Race. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-06530-7.
  19. ^ "Legends of the Bar". www.philadelphiabar.org. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  20. ^ "History of Firsts & Other Distinctions" (PDF). Lincoln University.
  21. ^ Chenault, Renee (January 1, 1981). "Pennsylvanians on the Bench: Profiles of Black Judges" (PDF). Black Law Journal.
  22. ^ a b Haddon, Phoebe A. (Fall 2010). "A Public Calling: Lessons from the Lives of Judge of Color in Pennsylvania". Temple Political & Civil Rights Law Review. 20 (1).
  23. ^ Ferrick-Roman, Karen (2012). "The Fighting Judge Michael Musmanno". National Italian American Bar Association. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  24. ^ "R. P. Alexander, 76, Philadelphia Judge". The New York Times. November 25, 1974. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  25. ^ "Theodore O. Spaulding". The New York Times. September 12, 1974. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  26. ^ a b "R. N. C. Nix Jr., 75, Groundbreaking Judge". The New York Times. Associated Press. August 26, 2003. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  27. ^ Yuan, Winston. "Marutani Fellowship". www.apaba-pa.org. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  28. ^ Muto, David (November 17, 2016). "An Unsung Hero in the Story of Interracial Marriage". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  29. ^ "Finding aid for the William M. Marutani Papers". www.oac.cdlib.org. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  30. ^ a b "The Indomitable Emigre: Judge Eduardo C. Robreno - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  31. ^ "Anders Appointed Supervising Judge of FJD Civil Division". The Legal Intelligencer. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  32. ^ a b "First openly-gay minority judge in Pennsylvania celebrates making history". 6abc Philadelphia. April 25, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  33. ^ Gates, Henry Louis Jr. "Who Were the 1st Black Federal Court Judges?". The Root. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  34. ^ "Obituary: Paul A. Simmons / First black federal judge in area known as trailblazer". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  35. ^ "Obituary: Gary L. Lancaster / First black chief judge in U.S. court here". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  36. ^ "After 14 months, Senate finally approves Phila. judge". Philly.com. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  37. ^ a b Eagle, Reading (August 2, 2018). "New chief judge named for U.S. District Court". Reading Eagle. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  38. ^ a b "Chester County Judge Sanchez joins the federal bench in Pa". The Philadelphia Inquirer. July 10, 2004. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  39. ^ "Before Krasner: The Wild and Wooly Saga of Philadelphia District Attorneys | Blog | Independent Lens". Independent Lens. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  40. ^ "Seth Williams becomes D.A., makes Philadelphia history | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/04/2010". January 7, 2010. Archived from the original on January 7, 2010. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  41. ^ "Mazzoni Center Legal Services Honors Two Trailblazing Philadelphia Judges and the Firm of Dechert LLP at 4th Annual Open Bar Event". Mazzoni Center. March 11, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  42. ^ "Pennsylvania Set To Elect First Openly Gay State Lawmaker". HuffPost. April 26, 2012. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  43. ^ "Gilbert "Ott" Nurick - Legacy Hall | Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg". jewishharrisburg.org. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  44. ^ "Michael Reed". www.alumni.temple.edu. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  45. ^ "African-American Judges of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas". Duquesne University School of Law. October 31, 2014. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  46. ^ "First Black Public Defender promises new direction". New Pittsburgh Courier. March 7, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  47. ^ "Activist Thelma Lovette, 91, looks back on a full life". infoweb.newsbank.com. February 24, 2008. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  48. ^ Sheleheda, Christina. "Beaver County's first black judge to be honored at NAACP banquet". The Times. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
  49. ^ "The Honorable C. Gus Kwidis, 1st Greek-American Judge in Beaver County, 78". The National Herald. April 19, 2023.
  50. ^ "Altoona Tribune". Altoona, Pennsylvania. June 25, 1928. p. 12. Retrieved February 16, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  51. ^ "A HISTORY OF BLAIR COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA". 1931.
  52. ^ FM, Player. "Judge Clyde Waite: Bucks County's First African American Judge What's Your Legacy? podcast". player.fm. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  53. ^ Times, MICHAEL P. RELLAHAN, Special to the. "Ex-Chesco judge now top fed judge for Eastern Pa". The Delaware County Daily Times. Retrieved March 5, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  54. ^ "Editorial: Justice for Alexander McClay Williams". Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  55. ^ a b Blumenthal, Jeff (June 3, 2016). "Villanova names first African American law school dean". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  56. ^ Lohr, Ty (March 3, 2022). "Early Edition for 3/3: All county schools now mask-optional, Cajun restaurant comes to Lancaster city and more". LancasterOnline. ProQuest 2635483371.
  57. ^ "Noteworthy Pocono deaths in 2012". poconorecord.com. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  58. ^ Gibbons, Margaret. "Montco welcomes new judge to bench". The Intelligencer. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  59. ^ Fotikfoti, Kaitlyn. "Montgomery County swears in first openly gay judge". Montgomery News. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  60. ^ Gibbons, Margaret. "Ferman gets most votes for judge's robe in Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas race". The Intelligencer. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  61. ^ "Quilt show to honor famous Western New Yorker". The Daily News. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  62. ^ Societies, Pennsylvania Federation of Historical (1917). Acts and Proceedings ... Annual Meeting. Harrisburg Publishing Company.
  63. ^ Thomas, Robert McG. Jr. (June 5, 1997). "Bernard G. Segal Dies at 89; Lawyer for Rich and Poor". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  64. ^ "Carl E. Singley | PA & FL Law Firm". Tucker Law Group. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  65. ^ "Book celebrates York County's historic legal luminaries". The York Daily Record. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
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