Parsons, James Benton
1911-1993 · Contribution: 1961
First African American appointed as a life-tenured (Article III) U.S. District Court judge
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Impact on the world
Became the first African American appointed to a U.S. District Court judgeship in 1961, with an unusually smooth confirmation process compared to his civil-rights-litigating predecessor William Hastie, since Parsons had not personally argued civil rights cases.
Life & background
Admitted to the bar in 1949, Parsons became the first African American appointed as a U.S. District Court judge in 1961. Unlike William Hastie, the first Black federal appellate judge, Parsons had not personally litigated civil rights cases, which contributed to a far smoother confirmation process without dissent in the Senate.
Sources
- ABA Journal; Federal Judicial Center biographical directory (via Ballotpedia); Encyclopedia.com; Digital Research Library of Illinois History
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