William H. Murphy Sr.
William Hughes Murphy Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | William Hughes Murphy April 20, 1917 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Died | May 22, 2003 (aged 86) |
| Education | University of Maryland Law School |
| Spouse | Madeline Wheeler Murphy |
| Children | 5, including Laura W. Murphy, Billy Murphy Jr. |
| Relatives | George B. Murphy Jr. (brother), Carl J. Murphy (uncle), John H. Murphy Sr. (grandfather) |
William Hughes Murphy Sr. (1917–2003) was an American lawyer, judge, and civil rights activist.[1][2] He was the second Black person elected to the bench in the city of Baltimore, where he served as a judge for decades.[3] He was described The Baltimore Sun as, the "People's Judge".[3] Murphy Sr. was one of the earliest Black graduates from the University of Maryland Law School (now University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law).[4] He was born into a prominent Black family which published, the Baltimore Afro-American.
Murphy Sr. was married to Madeline Wheeler (1922–2007), a noted civil rights activist, and together they had five children.[5] His children include Billy Murphy Jr. (born 1943), a lawyer and judge; and Laura W. Murphy (born 1955), a lobbyist and civil rights activist.[5]
References
- ^ "William H. Murphy, Sr. (1917–2003), MSA SC 3520-12431". Archives of Maryland (Biographical Series). Retrieved 2025-06-12.
- ^ "The Honorable William H. Murphy, Sr.'s Biography". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
- ^ a b Milleman, Michael (June 1, 2003). "Judge toiled for decades as city's real public judge". The Baltimore Sun. pp. C1. Retrieved 2025-06-23 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "William H. Murphy Sr". The Baltimore Sun (Obituary). 2003-06-01. pp. C4. Retrieved 2025-06-23 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Baltimore civil rights activist dies at age 84". The News Journal. July 16, 2007. p. 17. Retrieved 2025-06-23 – via Newspapers.com.