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Judge Scott dies at age 59
John W. Scott Jr., who broke racial barriers at James Monroe High and went on to become area's first black judge, dead at 59Date published: 4/17/2008 BY EMILY BATTLE and KEITH EPPS John W. Scott Jr., the Fredericksburg area's first black judge and a civil rights pioneer from the time he was a teenager, died yesterday after having eye surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was 59. According to friends, Scott had cornea surgery Tuesday. As he was preparing to leave the Baltimore hospital yesterday, he collapsed and died. Called "Scottie" by his close friends, Scott was known from an early age as a hard worker who excelled in school. He served as a circuit judge in Fredericksburg for the past 12 years. Congenital glaucoma had left him without sight in one eye and with impaired vision in the other, but that never seemed to slow him down. "He had what many of us would consider a disability, but he never allowed that to define his activities or his effectiveness," said the Rev. Lawrence Davies, a former Fredericksburg mayor and pastor at Shiloh (Old Site) Baptist Church. In 1963, Scott and five other students won a federal lawsuit after they were denied the right to attend James Monroe High School. They then enrolled in what was a major turning point for integration in Fredericksburg. V. James Ventura, a longtime local attorney who has known Scott since his high school days, said he admired the way he handled himself in a difficult situation. "For this community, in this era, Scottie was unique," Ventura said. "He was a young black man who went through the wars of segregation who came to be accepted and recognized by all of society as a leader." breaking barriers Scott--whose mother, Mamie Scott, was a civil rights leader--was a strong student at James Monroe. After high school, he earned an undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University, and then a law degree from the University of Virginia. After graduating law school in 1973, Scott worked for the Legal Defense Fund of the NAACP. He then joined Hill, Tucker & Marsh, a Richmond law firm known for its civil rights work. Scott was president of the Fredericksburg branch of the NAACP from 1981 to 1989. The year he relinquished that post, he was appointed to a General District Court judgeship in Stafford County, becoming the first black judge in the area.
Read more stories about Fredericksburg Date published: 4/17/2008
real gentleman
(posted by
hammerhead
, Apr. 21, 2008 11:58 am)
i was in judge scotts court many many times,he was always a gentleman,and really smart man,he will be missed by all,who had the pleasure of knowing him.rest in peace judge scott
A One-of-a-kind Great Man
(posted by
rjbarlow
, Apr. 20, 2008 11:33 pm)
Too much can't be said about what a great man John Scott was, and what a great contributor he was to his community. I knew him and Alda for the last 15 years, and I always found him accessible, fair, and of good cheer. I believe he gave ever participant in his Courts everything necessary for us all to believe in Justice. I, for one, want to request that the City Council, when it builds the new Courthouse Complex, name it or it's primary building for this man, this Judge, that we all will miss so much.
Scottie You will be missed by all.
(posted by
ibtaz
, Apr. 19, 2008 1:03 am)
Scottie was a great man, husband, father, son and friend; he will be missed by many in the Fredericksburg area. He paved the way for many in the community especially the youth. He gave of his time and resources to ensure that young people would have better opportunities in life. I enjoyed working with him on many projects when I lived in Fredericksburg. My condolences goes out to him family and to those who loved him.
A Real Man
(posted by
realisticlady
, Apr. 18, 2008 6:16 pm)
I'll miss John Scott! He loved his sons, grandchildren, law, trains and the Washington Redskins. (In that order). I never held his love for the Redskins against him. John Scott was one of the most honest men on earth. A keen wit and a great since of humor. Rest in peace Scottie. You'll never be forgotten!
A fair, decent man
(posted by
MtMav
, Apr. 18, 2008 6:15 am)
On two occasions, I took different individuals to court regarding annoying civil violations. I first tried to rectify the situation without restorting to the court system but ..... the other parties were hard headed. Although a non-lawyer, I researched the law and found it was undeniably on my side both times. Judge Scott saw it the same way thus restoring my faith in the court system. Judge Scott was also fair in rendering fines to the other parties.
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