The law library inside the Daniel T.K. Hurley Courthouse now bears the name of one of Palm Beach County’s most revered civil rights figures and legal pioneers: Judge Edward Rodgers.
The Palm Beach County Commission voted in April to rename the library the Judge Edward Rodgers Law Library, honoring the late jurist’s groundbreaking career and enduring contributions to justice and public service. The renaming, initiated by Chief Judge Glenn Kelley, was commemorated with an official unveiling ceremony on May 29.
Rodgers made history throughout his 22-year tenure in the 15th Judicial Circuit. He became the first Black judge appointed in Palm Beach County in 1973, having already broken barriers as the county’s first Black prosecutor. He later served as the circuit’s first Black chief judge, leading the judiciary from 1983 to 1985.
Born in Pittsburgh in 1927, Rodgers moved to West Palm Beach in 1950 and experienced firsthand the segregation that defined the region. Denied admission to the University of Miami School of Law due to his race, he instead attended Florida A&M University’s law school.
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