MY DAY: JUDGE BEDFORD (1926-2014)

By the time I arrived in Dallas chasing a modeling career, Judge Bedford, the first black judge in Dallas County was already an international icon. The year was 1969 in the middle of still turbulent, uncertain post Civil Rights Laws.

W. J. Durham, a North Dallas black attorney told us there were more than 3,000 African American businesses within a four block area in South Dallas. The Forest Avenue Hospital , chartered by black doctors, was anchored in the center at Atlanta and Forest Avenue (now Martin Luther King Blvd), full of patients, pharmacy owners, pharmaceutical reps, doctors and nurses. And we were arguably the most popular part of town because we had the African American Judge. Judge Bedford was ideal for the challenge. He was a favorite, a native, a scholar.

On the east corner of Forest Avenue and Atlanta in South Dallas was a two story professional building that had a lot of “firsts” as occupants. The Dallas Urban League was on the first floor with Roosevelt Johnson, as CEO. The ever busy Graham’s Barber Shop was also on the ground floor, full of male/ female barbers and Carl Simon at First Chair. He was Judge Bedford barber for many years. Upstairs was where all the action was. There were three attorney offices. Judge L. A. Bedford with Hayward Sparks in the corner office. Attorney D. B. Mason and the brilliant E. Brice Cunningham, my boss. The Dallas SCLC Offices with Peter Johnson. J. H. Glenn, the real estate mogul, an insurance company with Robert Price, Herbert Spencer with his trophies.

The first Texas Rehabilitation Commission with Jean Freeling, the first black female counselor, occupied the largest space on the second floor. There were endless meetings between attorneys concerning the activities, plight and safety of the civil rights groups.

So many memories flooded my mind this week with the homegoing of Judge Louis A. Bedford. He was 88 years of age. I worked in the law office for three years before moving to corporate America. I can vividly remember people just wanting to see a “black judge”. He was a hard working concerned, but jovial “celebrity”. People would look at the Judge in awe. They would point at him announcing that he was “the Judge”. However busy he was, he always took time to respond to questions and humbly accept compliments in his usual gregarious manner. Judge Bedford remained the attorney for SCLC and other civil rights organizations. He charged SCLC a dollar a year for representation and less for legal advice.

Judge Bedford’s office was always graciously manned by Camina Adams, his devoted secretary/office manager for years. Evelyn Johnson, who worked for Herbert Spencer, was our social director and still is. But these years following the signing of the Civil Rights Bills left very little time for socializing. We worked long unmerciful hours. I remember attorneys calling from all over the country, unannounced visitors, being endowed with paperwork, court dates across the state– and a hall full of rowdy young college students with SCLC. The young attorneys just out of college would come and sit with the Judge. They came to help with the case load, civil rights cases, to work where needed. There was a young Sam Hudson, Craig Washington, who waited and waited one afternoon for the Judge to show up, and when Camina left locking the door to the Judge’s office, he came to sit in my office to wait for Brice Cunningham who was with Judge Bedford.

Thank you Judge Bedford. Your life journey will live forever.