IN MEMORIAM
The Honorable Willard H. Douglas, Jr. 1932-2025 70th Elder Watson Diggs Awardee, Retired Judge, U.S. Marine Corps
T he Richmond (VA) Alumni Chapter mourns the passing of the Honorable Willard H. Douglas, Jr. (Alpha Gamma 1950), the 70th Elder Watson Diggs Awardee, who entered the Chapter Invisible on February 16, 2025. Affectionately known as “Doug,” Douglas was born February 4, 1932, in
Amherst, VA, to the late Willard H., Sr., and Thelma Brown Douglas. Douglas was the first full-time Black judge to serve in the Com- monwealth of Virginia. A true trailblazer, devoted public servant, and steadfast man of faith, his legacy of excellence, leadership, and service will continue to inspire
generations to come. In 2001, at the 75th Grand Chapter Meeting in Cleveland, OH, the Grand Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi conferred the 70th Elder Watson Diggs Award to Douglas. After serving as a ser- geant in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War, Douglas earned a
B.A. from Virginia Union University in 1957 and a LL.B degree from Howard University in 1960. He worked for the Teamsters Union from 1960-61, followed by a stint with the U.S. Copyright Office. After his admittance to the bar in 1962, Douglas practiced law in Richmond and served as Staff Attorney with the U.S.
74 THE JOURNAL ♦ SPRING 2025
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