List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Rhode Island explained

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

Firsts in Rhode Island's history

Lawyers

• First African American male: John Henry Ballou (1874)^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]}
• First Jewish American male: Daniel Fink (1883)^[6]
• First African American male admitted to practice before the U.S. Circuit Court of Rhode Island: William A. Heathman (1898) in 1901^{[7] [8] [9] [10]}
• First Italian American male: Antonio A. Capotosto (1904)^{[11] [12] [13] [14]}
• First African American male lawyer to work for the Attorney General's Office of Rhode Island: Walter R. Stone (1973)^{[15] [16]}
• One of the first Latino American male lawyers: Angel Taveras^[17]

Law Clerk

• First African American male to clerk for the Supreme Court of Rhode Island: William A. Heathman (1898) around 1912

State judges

• First Jewish American male: J. Jerome Hahn in 1919^{[18] [19] [20]}
• First Jewish American male (Supreme Court of Rhode Island): J. Jerome Hahn in 1929
• First African American male: Alton W. Wiley, Sr. (1951) in 1981^{[21] [22] [23]}
• First Latino American males: Roberto González and Rafael A. Ovalles respectively 2004-2005^{[24] [25] [26] [27] [28]}

Federal judge

• First Jewish American male (United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island): Bruce M. Selya in 1982^[29]

Attorney General of Rhode Island

• First Jewish American male: Richard Israel in 1971^[30]

United States Attorney

• First Jewish American male (United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island): Jacob Temkin in 1953

Rhode Island Bar Association

• First Jewish American male president: Arthur Levy in 1951

Political Office

• First Jewish American male (Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island): Richard A. Licht in 1985
• First Asian American male (Chinese descent) (mayor): Allan Fung (1995) in 2008^{[31] [32]}
• First openly gay male (Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives): Gordon Fox from 2010-2014^[33]

Firsts in local history

• David Cicilline (1986):^{[34] [35] [36]} First Jewish and openly LGBT male (a lawyer) to become the Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island (2003-2011) [<nowiki/>[[Providence County, Rhode Island]]]
• Angel Taveras

^[37] First Hispanic male (a lawyer of Dominican descent) to become the Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island (2011-2015) [<nowiki/>[[Providence County, Rhode Island]]]

• Joseph Molina Flynn:^[38] First openly gay Latino American male to serve as a municipal court judge in Central Falls, Rhode Island (2021) [<nowiki/>[[Providence County, Rhode Island]]]

See also

• List of first minority male lawyers and judges in the United States

Other topics of interest

• List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States
• List of first women lawyers and judges in Rhode Island

Notes and References

1. Book: Smith, Jr., J. Clay. Emancipation: The Making of the Black Lawyer, 1844-1944. 1999-01-01. University of Pennsylvania Press. 0812216857.
2. Book: Hall, Robert L.. Making a living: the work experience of African-Americans in New England : selected readings. 1995. New England Foundation for the Humanities. en.
3. Web site: African-American Lawyers in Jacksonville Before the Colored Lawyers Association. dwperkinsbar.com. 2018-11-09.
4. Book: A History of New England: Containing Historical and Descriptive Sketches of the Counties, Cities and Principal Towns of the Six New England States, Including, in Its List of Contributors, More Than Sixty Literary Men and Women, Representing Every County in New England. Howard. R. H.. Crocker. Henry E.. 1881. Crocker & Company. en.
5. Book: Mather, Frank Lincoln. Who's who of the Colored Race: A General Biographical Dictionary of Men and Women of African Descent. 1915. publisher not identified. en.
6. Book: Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes . 2005 . Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association . en.
7. Web site: Rhode Island African Heritage Civil Rights History 1800-1900 Timeline Preceden. www.preceden.com. en. 2018-11-12.
8. Book: Harris, Rick. Newport Baseball History: America's Pastime in the City by the Sea. 2014-06-03. Arcadia Publishing. 9781625849885. en.
9. Book: Four Black Lawyers. 1975. Rhode Island Bar Association. en.
10. Book: The Colored American Magazine. 1969. Colored Co-operative Publishing Company. en.
11. Book: Muratore, Joseph M.. Italian-Americans in Rhode Island. 1999-11-01. Arcadia Publishing. 9780738549408.
12. Web site: Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame: Justice Antonio Caposto, Inducted 2014. www.riheritagehalloffame.org. 2018-02-16.
13. Book: Luconi, Stefano. The Italian-American Vote in Providence, Rhode Island, 1916-1948. 2004. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press. 9780838640470. en.
14. Book: Rhode Island Bar Journal. 1975. Rhode Island Bar Association. en.
15. News: Superior Court Judge Walter Stone, a 'trailblazer' in breaking color barriers in R.I., dies at 73. Naylor. Donita. providencejournal.com. 2018-11-12. en.
16. News: Judge Walter Stone passes away at 73. Staff. R.I. Lawyers Weekly. 2017-09-28. Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly. 2018-11-12. en-US.
17. Web site: Miller . Yawu . 2014-05-22 . Providence's Dominican Mayor Angel Taveras runs for governor . 2024-05-31 . The Bay State Banner.
18. Web site: Organized Impulses of Resistance and Assimilation within the Providence Jewish Community, 1880-1921. November 1984.
19. Book: Auwaerter. John Eric. Cultural Landscape Report for Roger Williams National Memorial: Providence, Rhode Island. Cowperthwaite. Karen. 2010. Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation, National Park Service. en.
20. Book: Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes. 2005. Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association. en.
21. Web site: URI dedicates 3 new residence halls. today.uri.edu. 2018-01-11.
22. Book: Rhode Island Manual. 1977. E.L. Freeman.
23. News: Robb Dimmick: R.I.'s amazing firsts in black education. Dimmick. Robb. providencejournal.com. 2018-11-09. en.
24. Book: Martínez, Marta V.. Latino History in Rhode Island: Nuestras Raices. 2014-08-12. Arcadia Publishing. 9781625850829. en.
25. Web site: Puerto Ricans in the United States: Past, Present and Future. RODRÍGUEZ. FÉLIX V. M ATOS. December 9, 2013.
26. Book: The Almanac of Latino Politics. 2006. United States Hispanic Leadership Institute.
27. News: Law panel cites misconduct, incompetence as reasons for removing District Court Judge Ovalles. Mulvaney. Katie. providencejournal.com. 2018-01-12.
28. Book: The Almanac of Latino Politics. 2006. United States Hispanic Leadership Institute. en.
29. Book: Goodwin . George M. . The Jews of Rhode Island . Smith . Ellen . 2004 . UPNE . 978-1-58465-424-7 . en.
30. Book: Goodwin . George M. . The Jews of Rhode Island . Smith . Ellen . 2004 . UPNE . 978-1-58465-424-7 . en.
31. Web site: Rhode Island Rematch: Dem. Raimondo to Face GOP's Fung Again. Smith. Michelle R.. September 12, 2018. U.S. News & Report.
32. News: BPR Interview: Allan Fung - Brown Political Review. 2014-11-17. Brown Political Review. 2018-11-09. en-US.
33. News: Former R.I. House speaker Gordon Fox to begin three-year prison term. Mulvaney. Katie. providencejournal.com. 2018-11-09. en.
34. News: Openly gay candidate a front-runner in R.I. House race. CNN. Ed . Hornick. 2018-11-09. en.
35. News: Cicilline Sets Providence On Road to Recovery. 2003-03-29. Washington Post. 2018-11-09. en-US. 0190-8286.
36. News: Candidate Profile: David N. Cicilline, R.I. 1st Congressional District, Democratic incumbent. Marcelo. Philip E.. providencejournal.com. 2018-11-09. en.
37. News: New Providence Mayor Angel Taveras sworn in. Smith. Michelle R.. 2011-01-03. Boston.com. 2018-11-09.
38. Web site: 2021-01-05 . Central Falls Mayor appoints city's first gay, previously undocumented municipal court judge . 2022-11-02 . ABC6 . en-US.