North Carolina’s First Black Superior Court Judge Dies At 71
Shirley Fulton was a ‘first’ in many sectors of the legal community in North Carolina. WBTV reports the state’s first Black Superior Court judge passed away Wednesday (Feb. 8) at the age of 71.
Fulton was first Black female prosecutor in Mecklenburg County with more than 20 years of service in the courtroom. She was an assistant district attorney, a district court judge, a resident superior court judge and a senior resident superior court judge.
Fulton was no stranger to the educational arena. She was part of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Task Force, chair of the board of advisors for the Charlotte School of Law, and president of the Mecklenburg County Bar.
Additionally, Fulton invested in the community, spearheading efforts to redevelop the historic Wesley Heights neighborhood. She told WBTV in 2011, “It was a neighborhood that was originally developed to exclude African Americans. I am very much in favor of historic preservation. This has been a wonderful process in a lot of ways.”
Fulton didn’t just talk the talk. She walked it by investing in the community. Fulton was the owner of the neighborhood’s historic George Pierce Wadsworth House and founder of SFultonconsulting.
She was also a founding partner of the Tin Fulton Walker & Owen law practice, established in 2002.
WBTV reports Fulton died from complications with gall bladder cancer.
At this date, funeral arrangements are incomplete.
