A portrait of Wendell Phillips Stafford, a Vermont jurist, poet and civil rights advocate, has been published by the Library of Congress. Stafford, a St. Johnsbury native, served on the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia for nearly three decades.
The photograph, credited to the Library of Congress, shows Stafford in judicial robes. Born in 1861, he attended St. Johnsbury Academy and later the University of Vermont before earning a law degree from Columbian College (now George Washington University). He was appointed to the D.C. Supreme Court in 1907 by President Theodore Roosevelt.
In addition to his legal career, Stafford was a published poet and known for his advocacy for African American civil rights. The portrait is part of the Library of Congress's collections and has been shared by local historical outlets.
Photo: Laura Borman via Unsplash. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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