The Higher Education of the New Chief Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court

Tom Colbert, a justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court since 2004, was elected by his peer justices to a two-year term as chief justice. He is the first African American to serve on the court and the first Black chief justice of the court.

Judge Colbert is a native of Oklahoma City. He attended Eastern Oklahoma State College and earned a bachelor’s degree at Kentucky State University in Frankfort. At Kentucky State University he was an All-American in track and field. After serving in the U.S. Army, Colbert earned a master’s degree in education from Eastern Kentucky University. He then taught in the Chicago public school system before earning his law degree at the University of Oklahoma. He began his legal career as an assistant district attorney in Oklahoma County. He also served as assistant dean at the Marquette University School of Law from 1982 to 1984.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

California State University Sacramento Launches Black Honors College

Officially launching for the fall 2024 semester, the Black Honors College will support students from all backgrounds who study Black history, life, and culture by providing them with a specialized curriculum and mentoring opportunities.

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

In Memoriam: Norman B. Anderson, 1955-2024

Dr. Anderson was the assistant vice president for research and academic affairs at Florida State University at the time of his death. He had an extensive career in clinical psychology, which led him to become the first African American chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association.

Georgia State University Launches Program to Support Black Women in Tech

While Black women account for roughly 29 percent of the Georgia State University undergradaute student body, they represent only 10 percent of the university's computer science majors and 18 percent of the computer information systems majors.

Featured Jobs