Justice James H Coleman

James H. Coleman Jr., the first Black associate justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, passed away at the age of 91 on August 2. A product of systemic racism, he rose from humble beginnings as a sharecropper's son in Virginia to become a pioneering legal figure, serving on the state's highest court for nine years. Throughout his 39-year career, Coleman authored over 2,000 opinions, including landmark decisions that addressed racial discrimination in jury selection and cross-racial identification. His legacy is honored by many, including New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, who described him as a beacon of fairness and integrity. Coleman was also the first African American to serve as a workers' compensation judge and an appellate judge in New Jersey. His life story of overcoming adversity continues to inspire future generations.