First Black Prince George's County

                        Circuit Court Judge

   In the early 1960's James James Taylor, a native

   Howard Countian born and raised in Elkridge,

   Maryland realized that he could not make a living

   as a  lawyer in Howard County a small town with

   a population of approximately 8,000 people.  The

   available choices to pursue his dreams were

   Baltimore City and Prince George's County.

   Taylor left Howard County in 1965 during the

   county‘s slow transition from a rural segregated

   township to a suburban community to pursue his

   future as an aspiring Black lawyer. 

   In 1969, Hon. James Taylor was appointed as the

   first African American Circuit Court Judge in

   Prince George’s County history.

   Judge Taylor served with distinction for many

   years on the bench and has provided important

   career guidance and professional mentorship to

   many of his former law clerks in Prince George’s

   County who have flourished in the legal

   profession as able judges and accomplished

   lawyers throughout the State of Maryland.

   Today, Judge Taylor's family still resides in the

   same Howard County area in which he was

   raised in the 1940's.  Judge Taylor's father,

   grandfather, and his great grand father all lived

   in Elkridge, Howard County, Maryland.

            Source: Interview - Hon. James Taylor (2009)
Source: Wylene Burch, Howard County Center
              for African American Culture  (2008)