Thomas, Lawson E.
1898-1989 · Contribution: 1950
First African American judge in the American South since Reconstruction
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Impact on the world
Became the first African American judge to serve in the American South since the end of Reconstruction in the 1870s, a milestone reached nearly 80 years after Black judges had been forced out of Southern courts.
Life & background
Admitted to the bar in 1923, Thomas became the first African American judge to serve in the American South since Reconstruction when he took the bench in 1950, breaking a near-80-year gap in Black judicial representation in the region.
Sources
- St. Thomas Law Review (Longa, 'Lawson Edward Thomas and Miami's Negro Municipal Court'); Florida Heritage Site marker, Florida Dept. of State (2020); CBS Miami
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