Theodore McMillian was the first African American

African American

African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

 to serve on the Missouri Court of Appeals

Missouri Court of Appeals

The Missouri Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court for the state of Missouri. The court handles most of the appeals from the Missouri Circuit Courts. The court is divided into three districts: Eastern The Missouri Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court for the state...

.

Education

McMillian was educated at Lincoln University in Jefferson City (B.S., 1941) and Saint Louis University School of Law

Saint Louis University School of Law

Saint Louis University School of Law , also known as SLU LAW, is a private American law school located in St. Louis, Missouri. It is one of the professional graduate schools of Saint Louis University. Opened in 1843, it is the first law school west of the Mississippi River. The school has been ABA...

(J.D.

Juris Doctor

Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...

, 1949).

Service

McMillian served as assistant circuit attorney, St. Louis City, 1953–1956, and circuit judge, St. Louis City, 1956-1972. He was a faculty member at University of Missouri-St. Louis, the National College of State Judiciary, University of Nevada, Reno

University of Nevada, Reno

The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA...

, and a lecturer at Saint Louis University School of Law

Saint Louis University School of Law

Saint Louis University School of Law , also known as SLU LAW, is a private American law school located in St. Louis, Missouri. It is one of the professional graduate schools of Saint Louis University. Opened in 1843, it is the first law school west of the Mississippi River. The school has been ABA...

. He served as board chairperson, Human Development Corporation, local CAP agency; Minority Economic Development Agency; Herbert Hoover’s Boys Club of St. Louis; board member, American Judicature Society; Blue Cross Hospital Association; and Urban League. Member: St. Louis University’s President’s Council and board of trustees, St. Louis Junior College District. Appointed to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, by Governor Warren E. Hearnes

Warren E. Hearnes

Warren Eastman Hearnes was an American politician and the 46th Governor of Missouri from 1965 to 1973. He was the first Missouri Governor eligible to serve two consecutive four year terms, and a lifelong Democrat...

, October 26, 1972. He was the first African-American to serve on the Court. Retained in 1974. Resigned from the Missouri Court of Appeals in 1978 to accept an appointment to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Arkansas* Western District of Arkansas...

.

External links

• http://www.slu.edu/readstory/more/6444
• http://www.courts.mo.gov/appellate/index.nsf/9dfd92495509f13f8625681f0079fd11/719f5f6c7b7515cf86256a770055e0b1?OpenDocument