List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Illinois

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This is a list of the first minority male lawyer(s) and judge(s) in Illinois. 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 state history[edit]

Ruben Castillo: First Hispanic American male Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (1994)

Lawyers[edit]

  • Lloyd Garrison Wheeler (1869):[1][2] First African American male admitted to the Illinois State Bar. However, he relocated soon after to Arkansas.
  • Antonio Rosas Sarabia (1950):[3] First Mexican American male lawyer in Illinois
  • Theodore "Ted" Burtzos:[4] First deaf male lawyer to argue a case before a jury in Illinois

State judges[edit]

  • Albert B. George:[5][6] First African American male judge in Illinois (1924)
  • James K. Chelos:[7][8][9] First Greek American male judge in Illinois (1952)
  • David Cerda:[10] First Latino American male judge in Illinois (1965) and serve on the Illinois Appellate Court (1989)
  • George N. Leighton (1947):[11][12] First African American male to serve on the First District Appellate Court in Illinois (1969)
  • Charles E. Freeman (1962):[13][14][15] First African American male to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court (1990) and serve as its Chief Justice
  • F. Keith Brown (1981):[16][17] First African American male judge to serve as a Chief Judge in the Sixteenth Judicial District Court (Kane County, Illinois; 1991)
  • Thomas R. Chiola (1974):[18] First openly LGBT male judge in Illinois (1994)
  • Sebastian Patti:[19][20] First openly LGBT male to serve as an appellate court judge in Illinois (1995)
  • Theodore "Ted" Burtzos:[4] First deaf male judge in Illinois (1995)
  • Kenneth Moy:[21][22] First Asian American male judge in Illinois (1996)
  • Israel Desierto:[23] First Filipino American male judge in Illinois (2005)
  • Lionel Jean-Baptiste:[24] First Haitian American male judge in Illinois (2011)
  • Jesse Reyes (1982):[25][26] First Latino American male elected as a Judge of the Illinois Appellate Court (2012)
  • Rouhy J. Shalabi:[27] First Palestinian American and Muslim American judge in Illinois (2020)
  • Sanjay Tailor:[28] First Asian American male to serve as a presiding judge in Illinois (2021)

Federal judges[edit]

Attorney General[edit]

Assistant Attorney General[edit]

  • James G. Gotter:[44] First African American male to serve as the Assistant Attorney General of Illinois (1917)

United States Attorney[edit]

State's Attorney[edit]

Assistant State's Attorney[edit]

Bar Association[edit]

Firsts in local history[edit]

  • K. Patrick Yarbrough:[51] First African American male judge in Boone and Winnebago Counties, Illinois (2008)
  • Chester Blair:[52] First African American male to serve as the President of the Chicago Bar Association [Cook and DuPage Counties, Illinois]
  • René A. Torrado, Jr.:[53] First Latino American male to serve as the President of the Chicago Bar Association (1995) [Cook and DuPage Counties, Illinois]
  • Moses Suarez:[54] First Latino American male to serve as President of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago (2019) [Cook and DuPage Counties, Illinois]
  • Joe Somers:[55] First African American male to serve as the Justice of the Peace in Champaign County, Illinois (1961)
  • James R. Burgess, Jr.:[46][47] First African American male to serve as the State's Attorney of Champaign County, Illinois (1972)
  • Richard A. Dawson (1870):[56] First African American male to graduate from the University of Chicago's law department
  • Cecil A. Partee:[57] First African American male to serve as the State's Attorney of Cook County, Illinois
  • James K. Chelos:[7][8] First Greek American male elected as a judge in Cook County, Illinois (1952)
  • James Benton Parsons (1949):[29][30] First African American male to serve as a Judge of the Superior Court of Cook County, Illinois (1959
  • William J. Haddad:[58][59] First Arab American male to serve as a Judge (2003) and Chief Judge (2023) of the Circuit Court in Cook County, Illinois
  • Israel Desierto:[23] First Filipino American male to serve as an Associate Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois (2005)
  • Sanjay Tailor:[60] First Indian American male appointed as an Associate Judge in Cook County, Illinois
  • Kenneth Moy:[21][22] First Asian American male appointed as Judge of the DuPage County Circuit Court (1996)
  • Charles Willner (1876):[61] First Jewish male lawyer in Burlington, Illinois [Kane County, Illinois]
  • F. Keith Brown (1981):[16][17] First African American male judge and Chief Judge in the Sixteenth Judicial District (Kane County, Illinois; 1991)
  • John Dalton:[62] First openly LGBT male judge in Kane County, Illinois (2012)
  • Rene Cruz:[63] First Hispanic American male to serve as an associate judge in Kane County, Illinois (2012)
  • George Bridges (1987):[64][65] First African American male judge in Lake County, Illinois
  • Jorge L. Ortiz (1989):[66] First Hispanic American male judge in Lake County, Illinois (2002) and first Chief Judge (2016)
  • George Bridges:[67] First African American male judge in Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois (1995)
  • Clayton R. Williams (c. 1940s):[68] First African American male lawyer in Madison County, Illinois. He would later become a judge.
  • Mario J. Perez:[69] First Latino American male lawyer in McHenry County, Illinois
  • Carlos S. Arevalo:[70] First Hispanic American to serve as the President of the McHenry County Bar Association, Illinois (2014)
  • Abraham Morris Williams:[71] First African American male lawyer in Sangamon County, Illinois
  • Noah Parden:[72] First African American lawyer and Assistant County Prosecutor in St. Clair County, Illinois
  • David Garcia:[73][74] First Latino American male judge in Will County, Illinois (2013)

See also[edit]

Other topics of interest[edit]

References[edit]

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  2. ^ "Lloyd Garrison Wheeler (1848–1909)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  3. ^ "Antonio Rosas Sarabia". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  4. ^ a b Clawson, Pat (22 February 1995). "Deaf Lawyer Named New Circuit Judge". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2018-12-07.
  5. ^ "Generations of Pride: African American Timeline". www2.illinois.gov. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  6. ^ "Centennial Milestones". Cook County Bar Association. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  7. ^ a b "Hellenic Bar Association". www.hellenicbar.org. Retrieved 2022-05-05.
  8. ^ a b "THE 133D ANNIVERSARY OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office. 1954.
  9. ^ "National Hellenic Museum : Still image : Photograph [F2014.86]". collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  10. ^ Schmich, Mary. "No longer lonely on the bench, Latino judges in Illinois form an association". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  11. ^ Congressional Record. Vol. V. 151, PT. 6. Government Printing Office. April 21 – May 5, 2005. ISBN 9780160846823.
  12. ^ "Cape Verdean Voices: An Exhibition in Honor of Judge George N. Leighton - New Bedford Whaling Museum". www.whalingmuseum.org. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  13. ^ Kenney, David; Brown, Barbara L. (1993). Basic Illinois Government: A Systematic Explanation. SIU Press. ISBN 9780809318223.
  14. ^ Roland Burris Sworn in as Illinois' First Black Attorney General. Johnson Publishing Company. 1991-02-04.
  15. ^ "JUSTICE Charles E. Freeman Announces Retirement After Long and Distinguished Career" (PDF). Supreme Court of Illinois. May 17, 2018.
  16. ^ a b "Elgin Attorney Is 1st Black Named To The Kane County Bench". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  17. ^ a b "Judge Brown to leave the bench after 23 years". Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  18. ^ Flitsch, Byron (January 6, 2010). "History-making gay judge set to retire". Windy City Times. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
  19. ^ "The Alliance of Illinois Judges | Illinois State Bar Association". www.isba.org. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
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  22. ^ a b Van Matre, Lynn (15 October 1996). "Moy Gets a Head Start on Circuit Court Judgeship". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  23. ^ a b "Asian American Compass: A Guide to Navigating the Community" (PDF). Asian American Institute. 2011.
  24. ^ "Judge Lionel Jean-Baptiste | NAAHP Annual Conference 2015". Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  25. ^ "Gazette Chicago » First Latino Appellate Judge Reyes sworn in". www.gazettechicago.com. Retrieved 2018-01-13.
  26. ^ "Judge Jesse Reyes (JD '82) Sworn in as First Latino Illinois Appellate Court Judge | JMLS News and Publications". news.jmls.edu. Retrieved 2018-01-13.
  27. ^ Yanaki, Nura A. (April 26, 2021). "Arab American Bar Association of Illinois". Chicago Dailly Law Bulletin.
  28. ^ "Chief Judge Evans names three new acting presiding judges of the Criminal, County and Traffic Divisions". Circuit Court of Cook County. January 4, 2021. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
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  30. ^ a b Carney Smith, Jessie (2012-12-01). Black Firsts: 4,000 Ground-Breaking and Pioneering Historical Events. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 9781578594252.
  31. ^ Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1967.
  32. ^ "Bradley University: U.S. Judge Tells Graduates to Keep Building". Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  33. ^ "Ruben Castillo - First Hispanic Judge to serve on the Federal Sentencing Commission" (PDF).
  34. ^ Castillo is also the first Latino American male judge to serve on the Federal Sentencing Commission.
  35. ^ Ferrarin, Elena (2012-12-29). "Pioneer Hispanic federal judge from Elgin retires". Daily Herald. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  36. ^ "1st US federal judge of Armenian descent retiring". Public Radio of Armenia. 2017-12-19. Retrieved 2018-12-17.
  37. ^ a b "S7014: Congressional Record — Senate" (PDF). December 9, 2016.
  38. ^ Thies, Daniel (December 2012). "Northern District welcomes Judge John Z. Lee" (PDF). Federal Civil Practice. 11 (2).
  39. ^ "CAPAC Applauds Confirmation of Manish S. Shah to U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois". Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  40. ^ Patel, Chirag. "SABA Chicago Hosts Second Annual Judicial Reception - South Asian Bar Association of Chicago". Retrieved 2022-04-14.
  41. ^ Manson, Patricia. "Valderrama's acumen, 'depth of soul' praised at investiture". Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
  42. ^ "Burris, Roland (1937- ) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed". blackpast.org. 18 January 2009. Retrieved 2018-12-13.
  43. ^ André, Vania (2018-11-07). "Illinois Elects First Haitian-American Attorney General". The Haitian Times. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  44. ^ Smith, John Clay (1993). Emancipation: The Making of the Black Lawyer, 1844-1944. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 9780812231816.
  45. ^ "Durbin, Duckworth Statement on Nomination of Gregory Harris to be Central District of Illinois U.S. Attorney | U.S. Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois". www.durbin.senate.gov. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  46. ^ a b "Steve Burgess recalls his father, James R. Burgess Jr". Illinois Public Media. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
  47. ^ a b "James R. Burgess, Jr". www.museumofthegrandprairie.org. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
  48. ^ Aiello, Thomas (2016-05-23). The Battle for the Souls of Black Folk: W.E.B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, and the Debate That Shaped the Course of Civil Rights: W.E.B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, and the Debate That Shaped the Course of Civil Rights. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-4358-7.
  49. ^ "Lawrence X. Pusateri". Chicago Tribune. 20 December 2005. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  50. ^ Baran–Unl, Denise M. "Joliet attorney installed as 140th president of the Illinois State Bar Association". www.theherald-news.com. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  51. ^ "Prosecutor Makes History as County's First Black Judge". Retrieved 2018-01-13.
  52. ^ Kates, Joan Giangrasse (25 March 2015). "Chester Blair, Chicago attorney and bar president, dies at 86". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2019-01-04.
  53. ^ "Transcript of Judge James Smith". Cook County Court. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  54. ^ "Moses Suarez Sworn in as First Latino president of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago". www.salawus.com. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  55. ^ "Tom's Mailbag, Aug. 21, 2015". www.news-gazette.com. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
  56. ^ "Centennial Milestones | Cook County Bar Association". cookcountybar.org. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  57. ^ "Cecil A. Partee papers". www.lib.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
  58. ^ "1st Arab judge in Circuit Court". Chicago Tribune. 2003-01-17. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  59. ^ "Interview with Judge Sam Salamey First Arab American and Muslim Chief Judge of the 19th District Court. - Document - Gale Academic OneFile Select". go.gale.com. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  60. ^ "Sanjay Tailor appointed Associate Judge in Cook County". www.nriinternet.com. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  61. ^ Fleishaker, Oscar (June 1957). "The Illinois - Iowa Jewish Community on the Banks of the Mississippi River".
  62. ^ "Kane judicial system changes to better reflect diversity within county | Illinois State Bar Association". www.isba.org. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  63. ^ Hitzeman, Harry. "Another Kane first: Latina attorney selected by peers as new judge". Daily Herald. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  64. ^ Newton, Jim. "Veteran Lake County judges announce plans to retire". Lake County News-Sun. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  65. ^ Newton, Jim. "First black judge's retirement leaves further diversity gap in Lake County". Lake County News-Sun. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  66. ^ "Lake County's first Hispanic judge elected chief of the court". Lake County News-Sun. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  67. ^ Murphy, Jean (1 February 2009). "Waukegans first black judge credits father for stern hand". Daily Herald. p. 3. ProQuest 313435351.
  68. ^ Schmidt, Sanford J. (May 19, 2017). "Madison county's first black lawyer, judge dies at 95". The Telegraph. Alton Illinois. Retrieved 2017-10-31.
  69. ^ "Mario J. Perez - The Woodstock Independent". The Woodstock Independent. 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2017-09-24.
  70. ^ Silverstein, Jack (July 14, 2014). "A fast learner and riser" (PDF). Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
  71. ^ "Abraham Morris Williams". www.sangamoncountycircuitclerk.org. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
  72. ^ "ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE WILL BE ASKED TO HONOR PIONEERING BLACK LAWYER IN ST. CLAIR COUNTY". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Associated Press. 3 January 2003. p. B.2. ProQuest 402201801.
  73. ^ Fabbre, Alicia (September 11, 2013). "Will County's first Latino judge appointed to bench". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
  74. ^ Planas, Roque (2013-09-05). "First Latino Judge In Will County Fulfills Childhood Dream After Returning To School". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2018-01-13.
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