Born in 1932, Adolpho A. Birch (1932-2011) was the first African American chief justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court. A graduate of Howard University Law School, he moved to Nashville in 1956 and opened a private practice. His office was located near 10th Ave. North. He represented students arrested during Civil Rights protests in the early 1960s. He later became the first African American Assistant District Attorney in Davidson County. In 1978, he presided as a District Criminal Court—a position he held until 1987. After three years on the Tennessee Court of Appeals, he was elected to the Tennessee Supreme Court in 1990. While on the bench, Birch served as Chief Justice three times. When he retired in 2006, the Davidson County Criminal Court building was named in his honor.
Adolpho A. Birch
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Born in 1932, Adolpho A. Birch (1932-2011) was the first African American chief justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court. A graduate of Howard University Law School, he moved to Nashville in 1956 and opened a private practice. His office was located near 10th Ave. North. He represented students arrested during Civil Rights protests in the early 1960s. He later became the first African American Assistant District Attorney in Davidson County. In 1978, he presided as a District Criminal Court—a position he held until 1987. After three years on the Tennessee Court of Appeals, he was elected to the Tennessee Supreme Court in 1990. While on the bench, Birch served as Chief Justice three times. When he retired in 2006, the Davidson County Criminal Court building was named in his honor.