Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Adolpho A. Birch, Jr., and 20th Judicial District Criminal Court Judge Monte Watkins have received honors from the National Bar Association (NBA). Founded in 1925, the NBA is the oldest and largest organization of African-American lawyers and judges with 20,000 members.
At a conference in Orlando, FL, this month, Birch was awarded The William H. Hastie Award, the highest award of the NBA’s Judicial Council. It is awarded for excellence in legal and judicial scholarship and commitment to justice. In 1949, Hastie became the first African-American appointed as a federal circuit judge. He also served as the first African-American governor of the Virgin Islands and was dean of the Howard University Law School.
The Judicial Council also elected Watkins to its executive board, succeeding Birch. The Judicial Council of the NBA was founded by judges to help end racial and class bias in the judicial system.