Bolin portrait

POUGHKEEPSIE – Judge Jane Bolin died in January 2007 at age 99. The Poughkeepsie native was the first African American woman to receive a law degree from Yale Law School and was the first female black judge in the country.

She was appointed to the Domestic Relations Court, now the Family Court, in 1939.

Current Dutchess County Family Court Judge Peter Forman wanted to keep Judge Bolin’s legacy alive so he formed a committee to raise money to commission a portrait, which was dedicated and hung in Family Court on Wednesday.

Judge Forman’s effort did not stop there.

“We have enough funds to produce prints, which we are going to get into all of the schools here in Dutchess County as a way of educating the young people about her as a role model,” he said.

The portrait was painted by local artist Seth Nadel.

Judge Bolin was an activist for civil rights and the rights of children, serving on several boards and working with many community organizations.