Throughout the month of February, The Courier Eco Latino honors Black History Month by spotlighting one local African American leader—past or present—each day. The series features trailblazers, educators, entrepreneurs, artists, advocates, and unsung heroes whose contributions have helped shape the soul, strength, and future of our community.
These are stories that may not always make headlines, but make a difference every day. From classrooms to boardrooms, from pulpits to protest lines, from small businesses to grassroots movements, each honoree reflects resilience, leadership, and service rooted right here at home.
Judge Mary A. Buckner, (March 3, 1948 – Sept. 10, 2021) a trailblazing jurist and the first African American woman to graduate from Mercer University’s law school, left an indelible mark on Columbus and the state of Georgia through a career defined by fairness, compassion and service.
Born, in Columbus, Buckner was the fifth of nine children of the late the Rev. Otis Buckner and Beatrice Rogers Buckner. She was educated in Muscogee County public schools and graduated with honors in 1966 from George Washington Carver High School. Even as a teenager, her purpose was clear. Her high school yearbook noted her aspiration to become a lawyer—an uncommon ambition at the time, especially for a young Black woman in the South…