[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 4, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E258]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                JUDGE PERRY LITTLE--BLACK HISTORY MONTH

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                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 4, 2020

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a jurist 
who has served our Tampa neighbors for decades--and continues his 
dedication to this day. Through his work spanning more than 40 years 
and as the second African American appointed to the bench in 
Hillsborough County, which is the longest tenure for an African 
American judge in the county's history, Judge Perry A. Little has 
helped shape our community forever. Judge Little is husband to Sonjia 
Latson Little and father of three: Matthew (Nandie), Marissa and Josie. 
He is also the proud grandfather of four girls, Reigan, Ivy, Gabrielle 
and Eden, and a member of Beulah Baptist Church.
  Judge Little was born and educated in Georgia. He received his 
undergraduate degree from Morehouse College and his law degree from 
Emory University. After completing law school, he took a position at a 
legal clinic where he could have a larger community impact over a 
federal position he was offered in Washington, D.C.
  At a time when windows and doors were just beginning to open for 
African Americans in the legal profession, Judge Little was appointed 
to the bench in Hillsborough County in 1977 by Governor Rubin Askew, 
where he presided for more than 12 years. He was the second African 
American in the county's history to be appointed, standing on the 
shoulders of Judge George Edgecomb, who only served three years as a 
county judge due to illness, but set the highest of standards for his 
colleagues to follow. The 1970s were a transformative time for 
communities as desegregation orders blanketed the nation while raising 
the profile of diversity at all levels of government. With the vital 
role our courts play in our democracy, economy and daily lives, a more 
diverse judiciary brings greater confidence in our justice system and 
is an important step toward a more just and equal America. In 1993, 
Governor Lawton Chiles appointed Judge Little to the Circuit Court 
where he served in the Juvenile and Circuit Civil Divisions until his 
retirement in 2007.
  Much of Judge Little's Circuit experience was dedicated to positively 
impacting the lives of juveniles and young adults through his legal 
decisions, who he continues to serve as an inspiration. Judge Little 
retired to care for his aging father in Georgia but continues to lend 
his judicial expertise as a Senior Judge for the Thirteenth Judicial 
Circuit, and assists other judges to ensure each case is given the time 
and care it deserves. He has been recognized for his extensive 
commitment to service through various awards, including the 2018 
Distinguished Leadership Award from the Black Law Students Association 
at WMU-Cooley Law School's Tampa Bay campus.
  Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Tampa Bay community, it gives me 
immense pride to honor a great public servant this Black History Month. 
Judge Little is a man faithful to his family and community, and is 
unparalleled in service to his neighbors.

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