In 1946 Sweatt v. Painter was brought to the 126th District Court in Travis County. On behalf of the NAACP, Thurgood Marshall, a future Supreme Court Justice, argued the case to allow Heman Marion Sweatt to attend the University of Texas School of Law. This case was ultimately settled in the United States Supreme Court. Heman Marion Sweatt was admitted as the law school’s first black student, essentially desegregating the campus.
The Travis County Civil Courthouse was dedicated in Mr. Sweatt’s honor in 2005. His courage and sacrifice ensured the opportunity for people of color in Texas to receive a higher education. Four years later his case greatly influenced the landmark decision Brown v. Board of Education, which protects the right for every person throughout the United States to receive a quality education, regardless of skin color.
Heman Marion Sweatt’s perseverance to ensure opportunity for every person is especially meaningful to Aurora Martinez Jones now that she is Judge of the historical 126th District Court. In 2022, KVUE (ABC affiliate in Austin, Texas) highlighted this historical significance.
WATCH: "This Travis County judge presides over a historic courtroom. She's also making history herself."