George Lewis Ruffin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Lewis Ruffin
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| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 6th Suffolk district |
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| In office January 5, 1870 – January 2, 1872 Serving with Harvey Jewell and Hugh Flood
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| Preceded by | Linus Child John J. Smith |
| Succeeded by | Frederic W. Lincoln Jr. Charles R. Codman John J. Smith |
| Associate Justice of the Boston Municipal Court | |
| In office 1883–1886 |
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| Appointed by | Benjamin Franklin Butler |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 22, 1834 Richmond, Virginia |
| Died | November 19, 1886 (aged 51) Boston, Massachusetts |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5 (including Florida Ruffin Ridley) |
| Education | Harvard Law School (1869) |
George Lewis Ruffin (born December 16, 1834 – died November 19, 1886) was an important American figure. He was a barber, a lawyer, a politician, and a judge. In 1869, he became the first African American to graduate from Harvard Law School. He was also the first African American elected to the Boston City Council.
Later, in 1870, Ruffin was elected to the Massachusetts Legislature. In 1883, the governor, Benjamin Franklin Butler, appointed him as a judge. This made George Lewis Ruffin the first African American judge in the United States. He married Josephine St. Pierre in 1858. Their daughter, Florida Ruffin Ridley, also became a notable person.
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Biography
George Lewis Ruffin was born in Richmond, Virginia. His parents were George W. and Nancy Lewis Ruffin. He was born as a free person of color, meaning he was not enslaved. His family had both African and European ancestors. Richmond had many free Black people at that time.
In 1853, his family moved to Boston. There, he went to public schools for his education.
Marriage and family
In 1858, George Ruffin married Josephine St. Pierre. She had a mixed heritage, including Afro-Caribbean, French, and English roots. They had five children together: four sons and one daughter.
Their children included Hubert, who became a lawyer. Their daughter, Florida Ridley, became a school principal. She also helped her mother start a newspaper called The Woman's Era. Stanley became an inventor, and George was a musician. Sadly, their son Robert died as a baby.
Career
To support his family, George Ruffin worked as a barber. In his free time, he studied law books. He learned a lot by reading and working with lawyers Harvey Jewell and William Gaston. He even started writing articles for a law journal.
Ruffin saved enough money to attend Harvard Law School. In 1869, he graduated, becoming the first African American to earn a law degree from Harvard. After graduating, he became a very successful lawyer in Boston.
He was also very active in politics. He attended important meetings for Black leaders, known as the National Negro Conventions, in 1864 and 1872.
In 1870, he was elected to the state legislature as a Republican. He served one term there. Later, he was elected to the Boston City Council. He was the first Black man to serve on the Boston City Council, and he served two terms (1875–1876 and 1876–1877).
George Ruffin supported Benjamin F. Butler when Butler ran for governor in 1871. On November 7, 1883, Governor Butler appointed Ruffin as a judge. He became a judge for the Municipal Court in the Charlestown district of Boston. This made him the first African American judge in New England.
He passed away in Boston, Massachusetts. He is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery.
Introduction for Frederick Douglass's book
In 1881, George Ruffin wrote the introduction for a famous book. It was The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass, written by Douglass himself. Ruffin's introduction helped readers understand the book's importance. He described Frederick Douglass and shared key events from his amazing life. Ruffin even shared a story he witnessed in 1860. He saw Douglass bravely face an angry crowd at Tremont Temple.
Legacy and honors
- In 1984, the George Lewis Ruffin Society was created. It was founded at Northeastern University in his honor. This society helps minority students who are studying in the criminal justice system in Massachusetts.
See also
- Macon Bolling Allen is believed to be both the first black man licensed to practice law and to hold a judicial position in the United States.
- Jane Bolin was both the first black woman to graduate from Yale Law School and serve as a judge in the United States.
- Thurgood Marshall was the first black Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Charlotte E. Ray was the first black woman lawyer in the United States.
- List of African-American jurists
- List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Massachusetts
