Association of Black Judges of Michigan gathers at historic Idlewild for biennial retreat

ABJM photo

A group of Black judges gathered this past weekend in Lake County in tribute to a pair of pioneers of their profession.

Members of the Association of Black Judges of Michigan (ABJM) gathered at Idlewild from July 19 through July 21 for the Straker/Langster Judicial Education Retreat. Named in honor of D. Augustus Straker, Michigan’s first Black judge, and Percy J. Langster, Michigan’s and America’s first Black elected prosecutor, whose elected jurisdiction was Lake County, where the historic African-American community of Idlewild is located.

As early as 1915, Idlewild became a popular vacation place for Black Chicagoans and Detroiters, as well as African Americans from other parts of Michigan, and continues to attract visitors today. It has featured American jazz icons Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Count Basie through the years, as well as Motown’s own Four Tops. 

The theme of the retreat was “Honoring Our Trailblazers and Educating Our Future,” according to 34th District Court Judge Lisa M. Martin, who also serves as the president of the ABJM, which was founded in 1979.

“This theme is a reminder to pay homage to the visionaries who came together to found ABJM and to renew our commitment to prepare the way for those on the path to the bench,” said Martin.

The retreat was the first educational program offered by the ABJM since the Michigan Continuing Judicial Education Board approved the group earlier this year as an accredited provider of mandatory continuing judicial education. Those judges who fully attended the retreat received six credits towards those requirements.

The retreat began Friday afternoon with an informal town hall meeting featuring Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Elizabeth Clement and State Court Administrator Tom Boyd.

The retreat ended with a worship service on Sunday at the First Baptist Church of Idlewild.

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