Maryland Supreme Court Posthumously Admits Black Man Denied Due to Race in 1857

Admission recognizes Edward Garrison Draper, Dartmouth graduate found 'qualified in all respects' in 1857, marking the state's first posthumous addmission to the bar and a significant act of restorative justice.

Edward Garrison Draper, a Dartmouth graduate who was denied admission to the Maryland Bar in 1857 due to his race, has been posthumously admitted by the Supreme Court of Maryland, over a century after his rejection.
This decision, marking the state's first posthumous admission to the bar, signifies a significant act of restorative justice, acknowledging the racial discrimination endured by Draper.
Despite being found 'qualified in all respects' by Judge Z. Collins Lee in 1857, Draper was denied admission due to his race, underscoring the racial prejudices prevalent at the time.
After his rejection in the U.S., Draper emigrated to Liberia with the intention to practice law there, but unfortunately passed away a year later due to tuberculosis.
The posthumous admission highlights the progress society and the legal profession have made and signifies Maryland's leadership in restorative justice, remarked Maryland Supreme Court Justice Shirley M. Watts.
The move to rectify this historical injustice was spearheaded by former appellate Justice John G. Browning, among others, proving the adage that 'justice delayed is not necessarily justice denied'.