The Supreme Court of Texas honored the contributions of former Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson with an oil portrait that will be displayed in its courtroom. The portrait’s unveiling, which took place on Sept. 6, 2024, was attended by the court’s current justices, staff, and family and friends of the path-breaking jurist.
Jefferson ’88 was appointed by then-Governor Rick Perry in 2001 as the first African American justice of the Texas Supreme Court. He became the first African American chief justice in 2004, further solidifying his legacy. Jefferson retired from the bench in 2013, after standing successfully for election in 2002, 2006, and 2008.
Since his retirement he has practiced appellate law with the firm Alexander Dubose & Jefferson in Austin.
Jefferson’s impact as a justice included leading the Court’s efforts to fund access to justice initiatives, inaugurating a statewide electronic filing system for Texas courts, and working with the state legislature to reform juvenile justice. Widely recognized among his peers across the country, he held numerous leadership roles. He was President of the Conference of Chief Justices, a Treasurer of the American Law Institute, and was appointed by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to the Advisory Committee of the U.S. Judicial Conference on Rules and Procedure.
The artist selected to create Jefferson’s likeness was Ying-He Liu. Among her portrait subjects are the late Thurgood Marshall, Texas Rep. Pete Sessions, Princeton University president Dr. Christopher L. Eisgruber, Fortune 500 company CEOs, and many leaders of major institutions in academics, philanthropy, medicine, finance, law, government, religion and the arts.
The court wrote in its announcement of the portrait’s unveiling:
Jefferson, who found through genealogic research that he is the great-great-great grandson of a slave once owned by a Texas judge, ascended to the highest judicial office in the state in 2004. Jefferson has spoken about the fact that his great-great-great grandfather, Shedrick Willis, a Waco-area blacksmith and later a city councilman, was once enslaved by Texas judge and Civil War Lt. Col. Nicholas W. Battle.
“Chief Justice Jefferson broke barriers as the first African American to lead the Texas Supreme Court, but his true legacy is one of unwavering dedication to the principles of fairness and equality for all Texans,” Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht said.
Jefferson is donating the portrait, a symbol of his lasting impact on the state’s justice system, to the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society. It will be displayed in the Texas Supreme Court building as an inspiration to current and future generations of legal professionals.
In recognition of this moment, Samuel Jefferson ’23, Wallace Jefferson’s son and a member of the Texas Law staff, delivered remarks at a private event in September 2023 at the nonprofit Holdsworth Center campus in Austin, when the painting was first shared with family, friends, and colleagues. A version of these remarks was also published to Medium.
Good evening and thank you to everyone for coming tonight. We are here to recognize and memorialize just a fraction of the life of a great man, my father, Wallace Jefferson. But what a fraction it was. I was asked to speak about the historic significance of this night and the moment we find ourselves in with this portrait unveiling. So, let’s get right into it.
Since Texas’s admission to the United States, 21 men have held the highly illustrious position chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas. We’ve had four Johns, two Toms, and several lone namesakes including one Wallace. But it is far more than his name that made his time on the Court and this portrait truly one of a kind.
All of us have heard about his and my ancestry: his great-great-great grandfather, Shedrick Willis—add an extra “great” for me—was a slave in Texas, owned by the Texas judge and Civil War lieutenant colonel, Nicholas William Battle. The descendant of a slave, owned by a Texas judge, who rose to the highest judicial office in the state. Anyone who has heard my father give a speech knows this story, but I don’t know how many people recognize and appreciate that this is more than a fun fact.
Texas, and I love this state—best state and country in the U.S., in my opinion—has not always been on the right side of history. After admission to the union, this state opted to secede in large part to retain its enslaved population in perpetual servitude. It contains the location where the final announcement was made that slavery had ended. And it did not uphold the American promise to its Black residents for decades afterwards. There is, today, still much work to do though much has been done.
However, in 2001 and again in 2004, more than a glimmer of hope came through in Texas: the state chose, elevated, and re-elected my dad as the first African American associate, then chief justice. When this happened, it represented far more than a hollow victory for Black people and others who did not look like the status quo. It showed the limitless possibilities available to those who never saw themselves rising above their adversity into positions of leadership and provided a brilliant example of what dedication and focus can achieve. It made me and younger generations believe that the future must be shaped by those who bring their best each day, work with all people, and come prepared with an open and curious mind.
At a time where the topic of race and the part it plays in our lives is being challenged, moments like this are necessary. We must acknowledge and celebrate these occasions for what they are: momentous in a fraught history. At the same time, we can also pay respect to the its true symbolism: that whether you are white, black, brown, yellow, red, green, or purple, all of us are capable of truly wonderous things; that our nation and state have a history we should discuss the entirety of—the good and the bad—but that it does not define us, and, especially, that if we provide people with a real shot—not empty encouragement and lip service—they can and will surprise and amaze us.
This portrait is far more than a picture of a man. It is a symbol to anyone who passes by it that they can be great and do great things no matter what they look like or where they begin. Does it give me more reason to strive for great things? You bet! Does it set the bar that much higher? Of course. But we must continue reaching higher and further to propel us into the future! More than anything, this portrait, his legacy, and the example he set on the Court remind me that this instance tonight is not the reason to aim high. It is about far more than accolades, awards, and frames. It is about the positive impact and inspiration you can provide to others and the good you can give back in recognition of the blessing this kind of honor truly is. Even without this portrait, you have, and will continue to, inspire generations. But since we have this fine portrait, I’ll simply end by saying congratulations to my father, Chief Justice Wallace Bernard Jefferson.