James Lopez Watson
Template:Short description Template:Infobox officeholder James Lopez Watson (May 21, 1922 – September 1, 2001) was an American lawyer who served as a federal judge of the United States Court of International Trade. While serving as a judge around the country, Watson became the first African-American to head a federal court in the American Deep South.
Education and career
Born on May 21, 1922, in Harlem in New York City, the son of James S. Watson and Violet Watson, James L. Watson served in the United States Army from 1943 to 1945, where he fought in Italy and received the Purple Heart. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1947 from New York University and a Bachelor of Laws in 1951 from Brooklyn Law School. He was engaged in private practice from 1951 to 1953. He was a member of the New York State Senate from 1954 to 1963. He was a Judge of the New York City Civil Court from 1963 to 1966.<ref name="auto">Template:FJC Bio</ref>
New York State Senate service
Watson was a member of the New York State Senate (21st D.) from 1955 to 1963, sitting in the 170th, 171st, 172nd, 173rd, and 174th New York State Legislatures.Template:Citation needed
Federal judicial service
Watson was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson on January 19, 1966, to a seat on the United States Customs Court vacated by Judge Jed Johnson. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 4, 1966, and received his commission on March 7, 1966. He was reassigned by operation of law to the United States Court of International Trade on November 1, 1980, to a new seat authorized by 94 Stat. 1727.<ref name="auto"/> Because judges of that court are periodically assigned to federal courts around the country, Watson became the first African-American judge to head a federal court in the Deep South.<ref name="auto1">Template:Cite news</ref> He assumed senior status on February 28, 1991. His service terminated due to his death from cancer in Harlem on September 1, 2001.<ref name="auto1"/>
Honor
In 2003, the courthouse at 1 Federal Plaza in Manhattan was renamed the James L. Watson United States Court of International Trade Building in Watson's honor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
See also
- List of African-American federal judges
- List of African-American jurists
- List of first minority male lawyers and judges in the United States
References
Sources
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- 1922 births
- 2001 deaths
- United States Army personnel of World War II
- United States Army soldiers
- New York University alumni
- Brooklyn Law School alumni
- African-American state legislators in New York (state)
- New York state court judges
- Democratic Party New York (state) state senators
- Deaths from cancer in New York (state)
- African-American judges
- People from Harlem
- Politicians from Manhattan
- Judges of the United States Customs Court
- Judges of the United States Court of International Trade
- United States federal judges appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson
- 20th-century New York state court judges
- 20th-century members of the New York State Legislature