author
Robert H. (Robert Heberton) Terrell
1857–1925
A barrier-breaking lawyer, teacher, and judge, he helped open doors for Black professionals in Washington, D.C., at a time when such paths were heavily restricted. His life also intersects with a remarkable circle of activists and educators, including his wife, Mary Church Terrell.
1 Audiobook
A Glance at the Past and Present of the Negro: An Address
by Robert H. (Robert Heberton) Terrell
About the author
Born in Virginia in 1857 and raised in Washington, D.C., he built an exceptional education for his era, studying at Groton Academy and graduating from Harvard in 1884. He began his career as a teacher at Washington's M Street High School, then studied law and moved into public service.
He became one of the first Black men to hold major judicial office in the nation's capital, serving first as a justice of the peace and later on the Municipal Court of the District of Columbia after his 1911 appointment by President William Howard Taft. His career made him a prominent figure in Black professional and civic life in Washington.
He was also active beyond the bench, helping found Sigma Pi Phi, a fraternity created for African American professional men. Married to educator and civil rights leader Mary Church Terrell, he is remembered as a steady, accomplished public servant whose papers are preserved by the Library of Congress.