This is a list of the first minority male lawyer(s) and judge(s) in Rhode Island. It includes the year in which the men were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are those who achieved other distinctions, such becoming the first in their state to graduate from law school or become a political figure.

Firsts in Rhode Island's history

Lawyers

First African American male: John Henry Ballou (1874) First Jewish American male: Daniel Fink (1883) First African American male admitted to practice before the U.S. Circuit Court of Rhode Island: William A. Heathman (1898) in 1901 First Italian American male: Antonio A. Capotosto (1904) First African American male lawyer to work for the Attorney General's Office of Rhode Island: Walter R. Stone (1973) One of the first Latino American male lawyers: Angel Taveras

Law Clerk

First African American male to clerk for the Supreme Court of Rhode Island: William A. Heathman (1898) around 1912

State judges

First Jewish American male: J. Jerome Hahn in 1919 First Jewish American male (Supreme Court of Rhode Island): J. Jerome Hahn in 1929 First African American male: Alton W. Wiley, Sr. (1951) in 1981 First Latino American males: Roberto González and Rafael A. Ovalles respectively 2004-2005

Federal judge

First Jewish American male (United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island): Bruce M. Selya in 1982

Attorney General of Rhode Island

First Jewish American male: Richard Israel in 1971

United States Attorney

First Jewish American male (United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island): Jacob Temkin in 1953

Rhode Island Bar Association

First Jewish American male president: Arthur Levy in 1951

Political Office First Jewish American male (Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island): Richard A. Licht in 1985 First Asian American male (Chinese descent) (mayor): Allan Fung (1995) in 2008 First openly gay male (Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives): Gordon Fox from 2010-2014

Firsts in local history David Cicilline (1986): First Jewish and openly LGBT male (a lawyer) to become the Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island (2003-2011) [Providence County, Rhode Island] Angel Taveras: First Hispanic male (a lawyer of Dominican descent) to become the Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island (2011-2015) [Providence County, Rhode Island] Joseph Molina Flynn: First openly gay Latino American male to serve as a municipal court judge in Central Falls, Rhode Island (2021) [Providence County, Rhode Island]

See also

List of first minority male lawyers and judges in the United States

Other topics of interest

List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States List of first women lawyers and judges in Rhode Island

References