Texas County Makes History With Swearing-In Of 17 Black Female Judges

HOUSTON (AP) — “Black Girl Magic” has met the bench with the swearing-in of 17 African-American female judges in the Houston area.

The 17 women all won races in last year’s election to be judges in various Harris County courts. Their “Black Girl Magic ” campaign debuted over the summer with a viral photo that featured the 17 women and two other sitting Harris County judges inside a courtroom.

The women were sworn in on Tuesday.

Those behind the campaign say it was part of an effort to broaden the diversity of the Houston area’s judiciary and ensure that more African-Americans and other minorities can bring their backgrounds and life experiences to the bench and better reflect the diversity of the nation’s fourth-largest city.