Judge Henry Latimer – whose trailblazing career opened doors for the Black community in Broward and beyond – is remembered as a legal giant with a heart to match.
He became one of Florida’s first Black Circuit Court judges and went on to lead one of the state’s top law firms, Greenberg Traurig. Along the way “Lat,” as his friends called him, prioritized giving back to the community through pro-bono legal work. And he established mentoring programs to help minority laws students statewide.
Lat’s legendary legal passion, excellence and wisdom was so admired by his peers that his name was chosen to set the standard for professionalism for Florida attorneys. The Florida Bar’s Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism was named in his honor, shortly after his death in 2005.
The Community Foundation of Broward is proud to further Judge Henry Latimer’s legacy of leadership with a scholarship fund that helps new generations of students further their opportunities through higher education.
The endowed Henry Latimer Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation has awarded 17 scholarships to help Broward students attend Bethune-Cookman University, Florida A&M University, University of Central Florida and other institutions of higher learning. Because this charitable fund is endowed and able to grow through the Community Foundation’s careful investment, scholarships in Henry Latimer’s name will always be there to help Broward’s young people achieve their true potential.
Henry Latimer knew how the power of education could transform lives. Born into the segregated South and raised in public housing, he served in the U.S. Marines and went on to earn his bachelor’s degree from Florida A&M University and a master’s degree from Florida Atlantic University.
During the mid-1960s, Henry taught history and economics at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale and in 1970 he became one of the few Black students at the University of Miami Law School – a university where he would later serve on the Board of Trustees.
Today, scholarships from the Community Foundation’s Henry Latimer Memorial Fund are just one example of how Henry Latimer’s trailblazing legacy continues to empower others to achieve success.
To find out how you can make a BOLD impact with a charitable fund at the Community Foundation of Broward, contact Vice President of Philanthropic Services Nancy Thies at nthies@cfbroward.org or 954-761-9503.
