List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Minnesota

This is a list of the first minority male lawyer(s) and judge(s) in Minnesota. It includes the year in which the men were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are men who achieved other distinctions such becoming the first in their state to obtain a law degree or become a political figure.

Firsts in state history
Fredrick McGhee: First African American male lawyer in Minnesota (1889)
Alan Page: First African American male Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court (1993)

Lawyer
Judges
Court of Appeals
  • Peter Reyes Jr. (1997):[10] First Hispanic American male appointed as a Judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals (2014)
District Court
  • Stephen L. Maxwell (1953):[11] First African American male to serve as a district court judge in Minnesota (1968)
Supreme Court
District Court
  • Michael J. Davis (1972):[13] First African American male appointed as a Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota (1994) and its Chief Judge (2008)
  • Leo Brisbois:[14] First Native American male to serve as a U.S. Magistrate judge in Minnesota (2010)
  • Tony N. Leung:[7][8][9] First Asian American male to become a federal court judge in Minnesota (2011)

Attorney General

Assistant United States Attorney
  • Kenneth "Kenny" Wayne Saffold:[17] First African American male to serve as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota

County Attorney
  • John C. Choi (1995):[18][19][20] First Korean American male to serve as a County Attorney in Minnesota (2011)

Public Defender
  • Daniel Lew:[21] First Asian American male to serve as a Chief Public Defender in Minnesota (2014)

Political Office
  • Keith Ellison (1990):[15][16] First African American male (and first Muslim) elected to the U.S. Congress from Minnesota (2006)

Bar Association
  • Jarvis Jones:[22] First African American male to serve as the President of the Minnesota State Bar Association (c. 2001)
  • Leo Brisbois:[23] First male of American Indian descent to serve as the President of the Minnesota State Bar Association (2009)
  • Phil Duran:[24] First openly LGBT male to serve as the President of the Minnesota State Bar Association (2013)

Firsts in local history

Alphabetized by county name

Anoka County

Dakota County

Hennepin County

See also

Other topics of interest

References
  1. Smith, Jr., J. Clay (1999-01-01). Emancipation: The Making of the Black Lawyer, 1844-1944. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 0812216857.
  2. "Wisconsin Students Get Election Break". Star Tribune. Minneapolis. October 6, 1970. p. 20. Retrieved 2018-01-11 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Report to the Legislature" (PDF). Spanish Speaking Affairs Council. March 1, 1984.
  4. "Minnesota's first Native American judge on the Supreme Court". Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  5. "Trailblazing judge retires after 17 years". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  6. Upon Blaeser's appointment as a Judge of the Fourth Judicial District-Hennepin County in 1995
  7. "Exhibit, Film Explore the "Asian Pacific Legal Experience in America" | Asian American Press". aapress.com. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  8. Ahern, Will. "Guest lecture: Judge Tony Leung on civics | China Insight". chinainsight.info. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  9. "Leung named to federal bench". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  10. "Dayton's appointments increase diversity among Minnesota judges". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  11. "Judge Stephen L. Maxwell (1921 -2009)". ramseylawlibrary.org. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  12. "Is Stras the first Jewish Minnesota high court justice? - MinnLawyer Blog". 2013-12-07. Archived from the original on 2013-12-07. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
  13. Hoppe, Lousene M. "Judicial Profile: Hon. Michael J. Davis - Chief U.S. District Judge, District of Minnesota" (PDF).
  14. "Aurora native becomes state's first American Indian magistrate judge". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  15. "First Muslim elected to Congress". msnbc.com. 2006-11-08. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
  16. Boorstein, Michelle (2012-10-04). "Conversations: Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, discusses the current crisis in Libya and Muslims in America". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
  17. "Our Team – KWST Behavioral Development". Retrieved 2020-03-11.
  18. "Hamline Alumnus John Choi is First Korean-American County Attorney in the US". www.hamline.edu. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
  19. "Choi is 1st Korean-American county attorney in US". Twin Cities. 2011-01-04. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
  20. "Choi Is 1st Korean-American County Attorney In US". AM 1240 WJON. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
  21. Olsen, Tom (March 13, 2014). "Daniel Lew named chief public defender". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  22. The Barrister. The Association. 2001.
  23. Stoghill, M (2017-11-13). "Iron Range native is first American Indian to lead state Bar..." www.duluthnewstribune.com. Retrieved 2019-01-07.
  24. Press, Doug Belden | Pioneer (2013-06-27). "Minnesota State Bar Association names first openly gay president". Twin Cities. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
  25. "Bending Toward Justice: The Black Experience in the Minnesota Judiciary". Attorney at Law Magazine. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
  26. "Morris, William R. · Notable Kentucky African Americans Database". nkaa.uky.edu. Retrieved 2017-09-24.
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