James Dickinson Carr

James Dickson Carr used his extraordinary intellect and the public speaking skills he gained during his undergraduate days to establish a reputation in New York City as a keen lawyer and dedicated public servant. Named by Mayor John Hylan as one of the city’s first black judges, Carr developed a heart condition and died in his Harlem residence in 1920, a few weeks before he was scheduled to take office. Carr attended Rutgers Preparatory School, where he was class valedictorian. At Rutgers College, he gained the admiration of his classmates because of his sincerity and self-respect. “He did not want to be patronized,” a fellow student wrote, “and if anyone was inclined to pass him by because of his color, Mr. Carr at least would not notice it.” He distinguished himself in oratory, was named to Phi Beta Kappa, and gave the principal address at graduation. He went to Columbia Law School and was admitted to the New York Bar in 1896. His untimely death snuffed out what surely would have been a brilliant career on the bench. The James Dickson Carr Scholarship program gives four-year, full-tuition scholarships to Rutgers’ best African-American and Latino applicants.