To celebrate Black History Month, I chose to highlight an Avoyelles Parish born history maker, Judge Israel Meyer Augustine, Jr. His ancestors’ roots are buried deep in the soil of Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana. He’s my second cousin once removed, and he has many relatives, the Augustines, Benjamins, Pierres, Perrys and many others from Moreauville and Mansura. (The above picture was taken from a Georgia Family Reunion booklet) My great-great grandfather, Ursin Augustin (1808-1901) was his great grandfather, also. In 1969, [i]he was appointed to a district judge position of the Orleans Criminal District Court by Governor John McKeithen. He was the first Black to be appointed to a judgeship in Louisiana since Reconstruction.
