Trailblazer Becomes First Black Ole Miss Law Grad
On January 16th, 1985, Mississippi native Reuben V. Anderson made history when he was sworn in as the first-ever African American State Supreme Court Justice. Anderson’s groundbreaking appointment capped a series of pioneering judicial firsts throughout a legal career breaking down racial barriers.
After becoming the first Black student to graduate from the University of Mississippi’s law school in 1967, Anderson started out at the NAACP legal defense fund – litigating prominent desegregation and voting rights cases across the state during intense civil rights struggles.
Despite the challenges as one of only five Black Mississippi lawyers, Anderson persevered out of a deep passion for the law and justice. His election as the first Black leader of the Mississippi Bar Association in 1997 highlighted the respect he built across racial lines.
Blazing A Trail To The Top Court
Anderson’s series of judicial firsts began when he was appointed as Mississippi’s first Black Municipal Court Judge in 1976. From there, he rose rapidly through the state court system as both an appointee and an elected official.
By 1985, Anderson had been elevated to the role of Circuit Court Judge. That year, in a historic move, Democratic Governor William Allain appointed Anderson as the first ever African-American Mississippi Supreme Court Justice.
While Anderson would retire from the bench in 1991, his gallant ascent proved that courtrooms from the municipal level all the way to the highest state appeals court could incorporate Black perspectives.
Lasting Legacy Of Service
Now the oldest practicing Black lawyer in Mississippi above 80, Anderson continues giving back through educational access and reconciliation efforts.
He sponsors law students at his alma mater Tougaloo College, while also making major donations to Ole Miss Law School to fund diverse scholarships. Additionally, Anderson heads the state’s Civil Rights Museum and Archives – preserving Mississippi’s complex history.
When Judge Reuben Anderson smashed rigid racial barriers in Mississippi’s courts, he carved a path for future generations of leaders while changing the face of justice.
