Israel M. Augustine, Jr.

Bro. Israel M. Augustine, Jr., was born on November 16, 1920. He was the son of Bro. Israel M. Augustine, Sr. and Ethel Coleman Augustine. Judge Augustine graduated from McDonough 35 High School in New Orleans. He was initiated into the fraternity on 3/7/1942 through Beta Sigma chapter located on the campus of Southern University located in Baton Rouge, LA. He received his undergraduate degree from Southern University and taught American government there for sixteen years. Lincoln University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri is where he earned his law degree. He earned a doctorate of Humanities in 1983 from Union Baptist Theological Seminary. Bro. Augustine, Jr. was a founding member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization which promoted non-violence in achieving racial equality, that was organized in 1957 in New Orleans. Bro. Augustine, Jr. also served as the first council for the organization.

In 1951, he was admitted to the Louisiana Bar, and in 1962, he was allowed to practice before the Supreme Court. He practiced law for fifteen years before being appointed to the history making judgeship in 1969. The following year, when his appointment had ended, he ran for the seat and won a 12-year term, becoming the first Black to be elected to a District Judgeship since Reconstruction. In 1981, he sought a seat on Louisiana’s 4th Circuit Court of Appeals and won. After three years there, he resigned to run for 2nd Congressional District seat against the incumbent Lindy Boggs in 1984 and was defeated. In 1988, he was appointed ad hoc judge of the state’s Criminal District Court drug program.

He served on the boards of the Urban League, Louisiana Human Relations Committee, Louisiana Commission on Human Rights and Responsibilities, Community Relations Council and the Metropolitan Area Committee. To combat poverty and provide successful role models for the young residents in housing projects, he created the “Roots” Home Coming Program in public housing. “Keenly aware of the need for prevention and rehabilitation in criminal justice, he instituted the Black Crime Study Committee of 100 in 1973, the First Offender and Angola Awareness Programs in 1978 and served as a board member of the Gethsemane prison ministry.” He served as the director of the Boy Scouts of America, Audubon District, Parents Club and Dome Stadium Advisory Committee.

Economic Awareness

He understood that Black business and economic prosperity was a necessity. He helped organize and was elected to the board of directors of United Federal Savings and Loan Association in 1964, the first black federally chartered savings and loan association in the city of New Orleans. He, also served on the board of directors and executive committee of Liberty Bank and Trust Company. For his uncompromising and unselfish devotion to country, family, church and race, he received over 200 community service awards.

Honors

Southeastern University of Louisiana awarded him a Doctorate of Humane Letters in 1984. Over 200 community service awards has been awarded to him. In 1996, the Criminal Court building at Tulane and Broad was named the Israel M. Augustine Jr. Criminal Justice Center Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. Nearby, the former Samuel J. Peters School was also renamed Israel M. Augustine, Jr. Middle School.