On Wednesday, October 30 at 4:30 p.m., political, legal, and civic leaders from across the state will gather at the Honorable James C. Tormey, III Criminal Courts Building at 505 South State Street, Syracuse, New York for the dedication of The Hon. Langston C. McKinney Courtroom. The Hon. Langston C. McKinney L’71 served in many critical public interest leadership positions and applied his legal acumen across many practice areas and roles. He was appointed the first Black Syracuse City Court Judge in 1986 and served with honor, distinction, and compassion until his retirement in 2010.
Judge McKinney was born in Miami, FL on October 27, 1944. He graduated from Howard University in 1965 with a degree in chemistry and was recruited by Carrier Corporation to come to Syracuse to work as a chemist where he was the first Black scientist in their research and development division.
Judge McKinney served two years in the U.S. Army and then returned to Syracuse in 1968 to attend Syracuse University College of Law. While in law school he co-founded the Syracuse chapter of the Law Students Civil Rights Research Council and would spend a summer working in the South on civil rights legal work, fueling his passion for justice. Also, while in law school he started to work for Onondaga Neighborhood Legal Services (ONLS). It was there that he came to understand the plight of people trapped in poverty and social and economic injustice. This experience sharpened the lens through which he saw the need for justice, equality, and the rule of law.
Upon graduating from Syracuse Law, Judge McKinney began his legal career at ONLS as a staff attorney. Among the many causes he championed was the issue of tenants’ rights. He would later be honored by having a housing complex named after him – McKinney Manor. Judge McKinney later joined the legal staff at Hiscock Legal Aid Society where his reputation as a criminal defense attorney began to grow. Eventually, Judge McKinney joined with two other Syracuse lawyers to form the law firm of Maye, McKinney & Melchor, the first Black law firm in Syracuse.
In 1986 Judge McKinney was appointed by Mayor Tom Young to be the first Black American Syracuse City Court Judge. He was then elected in 1987 and re-elected in 1997 and 2007. One of Judge McKinney’s proudest accomplishments was partnering with the Center for Community Alternatives to establish the Syracuse Community Treatment Court.
Although Judge McKinney retired in 2010, he remained active in the pursuit of justice. He was instrumental in founding the first African American Bar Association in Onondaga County – The William Herbert Johnson Bar Association – named after a fellow African American legal trailblazer.
“Judge McKinney had faithfully and respectfully served Syracuse as a jurist, community leader, and mentor to many in the legal profession and other disciplines,” says Professor Paula Johnson, who served on the committee securing the courtroom dedication.
The ceremony can be livestreamed at https://cmi.nycourts.gov/VirtualCourt/new/st-jd5/st-jd5-1 with the passcode 1986. A reception will follow at the CNY Philanthropy Center Ballroom.
