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This Black History Month, Perkins for the People honors a living chapter of Detroit Black history with Judge Joseph Norvell Baltimore, retired former Chief Judge of Detroit’s 36th District Court.

Judge Baltimore takes us from the Virginia farm where he started working at seven years old to the courtrooms of Detroit, sharing the discipline, faith, and determination it took to build a life in the law when the odds weren’t designed in his favor. He reflects on what it meant to be a Black lawyer in a predominantly white legal system, how those experiences shaped him on the bench, and why respect, compassion, and dignity have to be part of justice.

This isn’t just a career story. It’s a reminder that Black history isn’t something we only read about, it’s something we carry, build, and pass forward.

Judge Baltimore shares:

• Growing up working on a Virginia farm at age seven
• Choosing education when it wasn’t encouraged
• Navigating law school and the legal world as a Black man
• The transition from attorney to judge
• Why compassion and respect belong in every courtroom

Black history isn’t only behind us, it’s living, breathing, and still being written. This episode is proof.

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