Supreme Court
August 28, 2024
Contact: Amy Starnes
Director of Public Affairs
512.463.1441 or email
AUSTIN — The Supreme Court of Texas will honor the legacy of the state’s first African-American justice and chief justice as it unveils the official portrait of Wallace B. Jefferson at 4 p.m. on September 6, 2024, in the Supreme Court courtroom.
Jefferson, who found through genealogic research that he is the great-great-great grandson of a slave once owned by a Texas judge, ascended to the highest judicial office in the state in 2004. Jefferson has spoken about the fact that his great-great-great grandfather, Shedrick Willis, a Waco-area blacksmith and later a city councilman, was once enslaved by Texas judge and Civil War lieutenant colonel Nicholas W. Battle.
Jefferson was first appointed to the Supreme Court in 2001 by then-Governor Rick Perry, who would appoint him chief justice just three years later. Jefferson would go on to be elected by the people of the state in 2002, 2006, and 2008.
He served as chief justice from 2004 until he retired from the Court in 2013. Jefferson’s tenure was marked by his commitment to justice and legal integrity. He made significant contributions to the state’s legal landscape, including reforming juvenile justice procedures, leading the Court’s efforts to fund access-to-justice programs, inaugurating a statewide court electronic filing system, and broadcasting the Texas Supreme Court’s oral arguments. He is the namesake of the Wallace B. Jefferson Middle School in San Antonio.
“Chief Justice Jefferson broke barriers as the first African American to lead the Texas Supreme Court, but his true legacy is one of unwavering dedication to the principles of fairness and equality for all Texans,” Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht said.
In 2013, Jefferson returned to private law practice at Alexander Dubose & Jefferson. As co-chair of the firm’s Texas Supreme Court and state appellate practice, he frequently appears before the court he once helmed.
Jefferson is donating the portrait, a symbol of his lasting impact on the state's justice system, to The Texas Supreme Court Historical Society. It will be displayed in the Texas Supreme Court Building as an inspiration to current and future generations of legal professionals.
The unveiling will be live streamed on the Supreme Court’s YouTube channel.