KANAWHA COUNTY, WV (WOWK) – Kanawha County is mourning the loss of a former judge known for being a trailblazer from a young age.

On Wednesday, the Kanawha County Commission announced the passing of the retired Judge Herman Canady, Jr. He served as a Kanawha County Circuit Judge from 1982 until his retirement in 2002.

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Breaking News

When he was first appointed to the bench in 1982 by then-Governor Jay Rockerfeller, Canady became the first African American to hold the position of Kanawha County Circuit Court Judge.

But this wasn’t the first time Canady paved the way for the Black community. In 1954, he became the first African American student at Charleston High School, according to the commission. When he went to the West Virginia University College of Law, he was the only African American student in the program during his time there. He was the second Black student in the university’s history to graduate from the WVU College of Law.

After his appointment to the bench, Canady was elected in 1982, 1984, 1992 and 2000. In 1989, his peers elected him Chief Judge, and he served that position until 1998. He was also appointed more than once to sit as a special justice on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.

Canady received the 1985-1986 “Fairest Judge” award from the West Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, according to the commission. And in 2001, he was elected president of the West Virginia Judicial Association.

The commission says following his retirement in 2002, he remained active in the community, serving as a well-respected mediator and senior status judge.

Akers has requested a black drape to hang over the Kanawha County Judicial Building entrance in honor of Canady’s memory and legacy.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOWK 13 News.