April 19, 2025
In 1966, he grew to become the primary Black decide to take a seat on the Circuit Court docket of Maryland.
George Levi Russell Jr., who grew to become the primary Black decide to take a seat on the Circuit Court docket of Maryland in 1966, died on April 12 on the age of 96.
Based on The Baltimore Banner, others recalled the deep legacy of Russell within the authorized subject that was stuffed with many firsts, together with his changing into one of many first Black candidates to run for the mayor of Baltimore.
Russell, in accordance with a 2005 interview with The Baltimore Solar, made up his thoughts within the third grade that he would change into a lawyer as a result of his father, a postal employee, all the time pushed him to be bold.
Russell was much more motivated as he grew to become extra conscious of the injustices visited upon Black folks, citing in that Solar interview that he knew that Black college students have been usually handed down used books.
“That they had pages that have been marked over. A number of the pages have been torn,” Russell famous, nonetheless disturbed by the understanding that Black college students have been handled as lower than their white counterparts.
Russell attended Lincoln College, an HBCU in Pennsylvania, incomes his undergraduate diploma earlier than he earned his regulation diploma from the College of Maryland in 1954 and following that achievement, he went into the Military shortly after he earned his regulation diploma.
Whereas within the Military, he practiced regulation and was positioned in command of courts, boards and particular courts-martial. Following the conclusion of his service within the Military, Russell began his authorized profession as an affiliate at Brown, Allen, Watts & Murphy, one of many first Black regulation corporations in Baltimore and the primary one to have an workplace downtown.
Based on Larry Gibson, a long-time pal and colleague of Russell, “He leaves a legacy of a pacesetter that claims that we as a folks, as a rustic, shouldn’t simply give attention to what’s now or what appears to be taking place, however on prospects,” Gibson informed the Banner. “A lot of what he performed a serious function in getting achieved, folks had problem understanding that it was actually doable. I don’t even suppose he wished to be a decide. I feel he did it simply to indicate that it may occur.”
Based on Gibson, this was made clear throughout the 1971 race for the mayor of Baltimore when Russell’s look on the poll showcased “the potential for a Black vote within the metropolis, as a result of up till then, our politics was just about efficient, we thought, solely in a single a part of town.” Arguably, Russell’s candidacy paved the best way for the mayorship of Brandon Scott within the current day.
Past the courtroom and politics, Russell’s legacy additionally consists of main the cost to the get Reginald F. Lewis Musuem established.
“Earlier than there was a Nationwide Museum of African American Historical past and Tradition, there was a Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American Historical past and Tradition, and that was as a result of Mr. Russell led the cost that this wanted to occur,” Terri Lee Freeman, the president of the Lewis Museum, informed the outlet.
She continued, “Had he not had the tenacity that he had, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum most likely wouldn’t be standing as we speak. He was decided that this may not simply be any throwaway constructing that they have been going to present to the African American Museum, that it was going to be a state-of-the-art constructing and establishment that was consultant of the greatness of the contributions of African Individuals within the state of Maryland.”
Russell is survived by his son, George Russell III, who like his father, grew to become a lawyer and at the moment sits because the chief decide of the U.S. District Court docket for the District of Maryland after being nominated to the federal bench in 2012 by President Barack Obama.
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