Judge Shelvin Hall, Trailblazing Jurist Rooted in Austin, Dies at 77

Judge Shelvin Louise Marie Hall, a pioneering Illinois jurist, civil rights attorney, and lifelong advocate for justice whose roots ran deep in Chicago’s West Side faith and civic life, died Oct. 8. She was 77. 

Born in Cuero, Texas, in 1948, Hall moved with her family to the West Side as a young child, where her father, the Rev. Dr. Shelvin Jerome Hall, became pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Austin. A major figure in West Side civic and religious life, Rev. Hall opened the church’s doors to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during his 1960s campaign for fair housing, embodying the same principles of courage and equality that would guide his daughter’s life and career.

Judge Hall graduated from Proviso East High School, Hampton University, and Boston University School of Law. Early in her career, she trained in civil rights law with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund before co-founding the nation’s first all-Black, female-run law firm, based in Houston, Texas. Over six years in private practice, she litigated numerous civil rights cases, gaining a reputation for rigor and compassion.

Returning to Chicago in 1982, Hall became general counsel for the Illinois Department of Human Rights, overseeing civil rights, labor, and legislative issues. In 1991, she was appointed to the Cook County Circuit Court, presiding first in the Domestic Relations Division and later in the Law Division, where she handled some of the county’s most complex civil cases.

In 1999, Hall was appointed to the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, serving with distinction until her retirement in 2020. Her tenure reflected a lifelong dedication to fairness, equity, and the belief that the law must serve the people it governs.

Hall was a nationally recognized legal leader and mentor. She chaired the Judicial Council of the National Bar Association, served as chair of the Illinois Judicial Council, and became the first woman judge on the executive committee of the Illinois Judicial Conference. She also served on boards including the Cook County Bar Association, Lutheran Family Mission, and the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago, and held memberships in the Illinois Judges Association, National Association of Women Judges, and Illinois State Bar Association.

A proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Hall was initiated into the Glen Ellyn Area Alumnae Chapter in 1995 and remained active in its public-service programs.

Her civic commitments extended to the arts through her husband, Dr. Ephraim Martin, founder of Martin’s International Foundation and the Black Heroes Matter Coalition. The couple collaborated on cultural initiatives, such as the International Reggae & World Music Awards, the Chicago Music Awards, and the DuSable Lake Shore Drive renaming campaign.

“She was my wife, my queen, the love of my life,” Dr. Martin said. “She advised me and guided our government and civic relations efforts in support of the arts until the very end. She got her wings and is on her way home.”

Judge Hall was deeply influenced by her father’s example. Rev. Dr. Shelvin Hall was a cornerstone of the Austin community — founder of the Community Bank of Lawndale, president of the NAACP West Side Branch, and a civic ally of King during Chicago’s open-housing movement. His ministry and activism made Friendship Baptist Church a hub of both spiritual and social transformation.

Like her father, Judge Hall devoted her life to service. Her work inspired generations of Black lawyers, judges, and public servants — among them her sister, Justice Priscilla L. Hall of the New York State Supreme Court.

Judge Hall is survived by her husband, Dr. Ephraim Martin; her daughter, Dana Martin; her sister; her niece; and a host of relatives, church members, and mentees. 

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Service Arrangements

• Viewing: Friday, Oct. 17, 3–7 p.m., Friendship Baptist Church, 5200 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago
• Funeral: Saturday, Oct. 18 — Visitation 9 a.m., Service 10 a.m., Gatling’s Funeral Chapel, 10133 S. Halsted St., Chicago
• Repast: Saturday, Oct. 18, 3–7 p.m., Friendship Baptist Church, 5200 W. Jackson Blvd., featuring the Chicago Jazz Orchestra

For more information, visit BlackHeroesMatter.org or email Valerie.MartinsInternational@gmail.com.