[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 967]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF JUDGE GEORGE CARROLL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MARK DeSAULNIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, February 1, 2016

  Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the extraordinary 
life of Judge George Carroll, a prominent civic leader in California's 
11th Congressional District and Richmond's first African American 
lawyer, city councilmember and mayor. Judge Carroll died January 14, 
2016 at age 94.
  Mr. Carroll was born into humble beginnings in Brooklyn, New York. 
His mother died when he was five, and he was raised by his sister Ruth 
who encouraged him to pursue a higher education. After serving in the 
Army, he successfully graduated from college and earned his degree in 
New York on the G.I. Bill. After his graduation, he worked at the 
District Attorney's Office in Kings County, New York, for five years 
before moving to private practice. In 1952 he moved to the San 
Francisco Bay Area, finally settling in Richmond in 1954, where he 
opened his private practice and became an active community member.
  Mr. Carroll is widely acknowledged as the first African American 
lawyer in Richmond, California and was the first African American 
elected to its city council in 1961. In 1964, Mr. Carroll made history 
as the first African American elected Mayor of Richmond, and is thought 
to be the first African American mayor of any large American city since 
Reconstruction. He fought against discrimination and broke down 
barriers for African Americans to go to law school and to practice law 
in the Bay Area. George Carroll became the first black judge in Contra 
Costa when he was appointed to the Bay Municipal Court by Governor Pat 
Brown in 1965. He served as a judge in West County until his retirement 
from the bench in 1982. During his service, Judge Carroll declined a 
promotion to the Superior Court in order to continue to work in 
Richmond. He was admired in the community as a leader, role model, and 
mentor to many. The Richmond Courthouse and a park in the Point 
Richmond District are fitting tributes to Judge Carroll. We are 
grateful for his myriad accomplishments and for the countless 
contributions he made to our local community.
  I send my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones. 
Judge Carroll made an indelible impression on all of us. He will be 
missed.

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