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A Light That Shone Brightly on the Lives of So Many
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February, 2022. The Historical Committee of the Delaware County Bar Association celebrated Black History month with a showing of the 2014 video “Breaking Barriers,” a video including an interview with the late Judge Robert A. Wright, a true trailblazer! The theme for Black History Month 2022 –“Time for Change: Action Not Words”
A TRIBUTE TO ROBERT A. WRIGHT, LAWYER, JUDGE AND OUTSTANDING CITIZEN (See Judge Wright’s full Memorial Resolution at www.delcobar.org)
December 8, 1919 - February 3, 2010. The Honorable Robert A. Wright was born and raised in Chester and graduated from Chester High School in 1937. He later graduated Lincoln University in Oxford. Judge Wright’s employment took him to Atlantic Steel Castings Company in Chester where he worked before and after his stint in the United States Army. For four years after serving his country, he worked at Atlantic and attended Temple Law School, receiving his law degree in 1950. His love for his home town led him to open his law office in Chester. After approximately 14 years, he was named an assistant district attorney, the first african-american assistant district attorney in Delaware County. For six years he assiduously tried criminal cases, earning the total respect of his colleagues and the criminal defense bar.
His stature in Delaware County legal circles continued to rise. In 1970, that stature was recognized by then- governor Raymond Schafer who appointed Judge Wright to serve as a common pleas court judge, the first africanamerican judge to sit on the bench in Delaware County.
Years later, his son, Robert C. Wright, became a judge, the first father/son team to serve on the Delaware County bench. Senior judge status came in 1989 to Judge Wright at age 70. He was required to relinquish this position upon the mandatory age. His talents, his knowledge, and his expertise led the president judge to appoint him as court conciliator, a position that continued to showcase Judge Wright’s legal talents and his dedication to the rule of law.
Judge Wright was recognized throughout his distinguished career with numerous awards. The award given him by his beloved brothers and sisters on the bench, the Donald J. Orlowsky award (1989), was the highlight of his legal career. He, additionally, was awarded the lifetime achievement award from the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce for his extraordinary achievements in his community.
To say that each of us who came into contact with Judge Wright was privileged is to state the obvious. His personal impact upon all was enormous and positive. To emulate his life, his demeanor, his love of the law, was to attempt to set the bar to the highest point expected of only few mortals.
