Kentucky State University News November 12, 2012 KSU Alum First African-American Elected Chief Justice To The Oklahoma Supreme Court KSU alumnus Tom Colbert made Oklahoma history following his recent election as the first African-American chief justice of the state's Supreme Court. This history-making event, however, is the most recent in a line of firsts in his law career. Colbert, who is currently serving as vice chief justice, was voted as the high court's key administrator by fellow justices on Nov. 8, 2012. The justices select a chief justice for the Oklahoma Supreme Court every two years on the Thursday after each November general election. Colbert's two-year term begins in January. In 2004, Colbert was the first black justice ever appointed to the state's Supreme Court. He was appointed in 2000 to serve as a judge on the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals, where he was also the first African-American appointee. He began a short stint as the appellate court's chief judge in 2004, until he was appointed to the state's highest court. A native of Oklahoma City, the chief justice-elect earned his bachelor's degree in 1973 from KSU, where he was also named an All-American in track and field. After serving in the U.S. Army, he earned his master's degree in education in 1976 from Eastern Kentucky University and then taught in Chicago's public schools. He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma in 1982 and subsequently served as assistant dean at the Marquette University Law School. Colbert began his law career as an assistant Oklahoma County district attorney in 1984 and also maintained a private law practice in Oklahoma City until 2000. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-520-0593 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.