California Confirms First Openly Gay Black Man To Supreme Court

The cloistered halls of the California Supreme Court became a little more diverse this week when the first openly gay Black man was confirmed as a justice.

Martin J. Jenkins, 66, a Democrat, was confirmed Tuesday (Nov. 10) as an Associate Justice to the California Supreme Court, becoming the third Black man ever to serve on the state's highest court, according to a news release from the California Courts.

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"He is praised for his brilliant intellect, first-class temperament and boundless humanity," according to a report from the state's Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation.  

He is the first African-American man to serve on the state's Supreme Court in 29 years, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office notes in a statement. Newsom nominated Jenkins in October to replace Justice Ming Chin, who retired in August, the report says.