Judge, civil rights leader from Burke dies

A trailblazing lawyer, judge and civil rights pioneer from Burke County, John H. “Jack” Ruffin Jr., died Friday after collapsing at his home in Atlanta.

The 75-year-old retired Georgia Court of Appeals chief judge was raised in Waynesboro and began his law career in Augusta. His relentless work led to the desegregation of public schools in Richmond and Burke counties. He was the first black member of the Augusta Bar Association and went on to serve as the first black Superior Court Judge in the Augusta Judicial Circuit until he was appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals in 1994.

In addition to those pioneering roles, Judge Ruffin became the first black Chief Judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals in 2005 and became the first black judge to have his portrait displayed in the courtroom at the Burke County Courthouse in 2008.

At the time of his death, Judge Ruffin held a teaching position at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

A wake for Judge Ruffin will be held 6-8 p.m. on Friday at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Augusta. His funeral is also scheduled to be held there at 11 a.m. on Saturday.