Seattle Justice
Seattle Justice by Christopher Bayley Book recommendation by Celeste Stokes, Past President, WCHS This book is a fascinating expose of Seattle’s not-so-remote politically corrupt history, which in many ways mirrors the origin story of Seattle or maybe just a less visible extension of Seattle’s original vice history. This book was especially intriguing to me because […]
Remarks by Justice Montoya-Lewis at the Washington State Supreme Court Minority and Justice Symposium
The following contains remarks by Justice Montoya-Lewis at the Washington State Supreme Court Minority and Justice Symposium: Introduction to the Film “Sugarcane.” Condensed and Edited for Publication Good morning, everyone and I want to thank all of the young people who are here today who opened this day in a really good way and felt […]
WHO was that Washington Supreme Court Justice?
WHO was that Washington Supreme Court Justice? Charles H. Sheldon, A Century of Judging: A Political History of the Washington Supreme Court (WSU Press, 1988); Charles H. Sheldon, The Washington High Bench: A Biographical History of the State Supreme Court, 1889-1991 (WSU Press, 1992) Review by Prof. Hugh Spitzer, UW Law Charles Sheldon (1929-1999) was […]
Island County Courthouse
Island County Courthouse – Coupeville Celeste Stokes, Past President, WCHS & David Peterson This article looks at the oldest standing building ever occupied as a courthouse in Washington. On Whidbey Island, Coupeville is one of Washington’s oldest towns, and is named for a sea captain, Thomas Coupe. The island is home to Fort Casey, Fort […]
William O. Douglas
BOOK REVIEW: Justice William O. Douglas, The Court Years 1939-1975 William O. Douglas, Jr., looks at his father, William O. Douglas, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. The two were photographed shortly after Douglas was sworn in as Justice. Photograph courtesy of the Library of Congress. by The Honorable Aimee Maurer Justice William O […]
Mandela
Presented this summer by MOHAI Mandela: The Official Exhibition by Leonard Garfield, Executive Director, Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) In December 1999, Nelson Mandela visited Seattle just days after the tumultuous World Trade Organization protests. In contrast to the unrest of the WTO meetings, Mandela’s visit brought a message of reconciliation, justice, and hope […]
Yakima Courthouse
Yakima County Courthouse The 1883 Yakima County Courthouse, which burned down in 1905. (Photo courtesy of Yakima Valley Museum) by David Peterson and Celeste Stokes, WCHS Board Members The present Yakima County Courthouse complex at the corner of North Second Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is a great example of a courthouse facility […]
Book Review: Arthur S. Beardsley, The Bench and Bar of Washington: The First Fifty Years (1849-1900)
Book Review: Arthur S. Beardsley, The Bench and Bar of Washington: The First Fifty Years (1849-1900) (Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/benchbar/) By Hugh Spitzer One of the most amazing and lively sources of information about early Washington judges and lawyers is Dr. Arthur S. Beardsley’s unpublished manuscript, The Bench and Bar of Washington: The First Fifty Years […]
Tribute to Ralph Munro
A Tribute to Ralph Munro, a friend of WCHS. Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives by Al RalstonJuly, 2025 Recently, my friend and former Washington Secretary of State Ralph Munro passed away at 81 years of age. He was a giant in Washington State in so many areas, not because of his Republican Party affiliation […]
The Containment
The Containment: Detroit, the Supreme Court, and the Battle for Racial Justice in the North by Michelle AdamsFarrar, Straus & Giroux, New York: 2025 Reviewed by Michael KingJuly, 2025 [corrected November 2025] So I am standing at a table of “new books” in the Barnes & Noble store on Fifth Avenue, NYC, looking at this […]