Black History Month: Who was Rockford's first Black judge?

How much do you know about Rockford's Black history? In celebration and recognition of Black History Month, the Rockford Register Star has partnered with the Rockford Public Library's Local History Room to bring our readers a local Black history fact of the day.

Visit rrstar.com or the Rockford Register Star newspaper each day throughout the month of February to read about the people, places and events that played significant roles in shaping the rich fabric of Rockford's Black history.

K. Patrick Yarbrough, a lifelong Rockford resident, was named Winnebago County's first Black judge in 2007.

He graduated from Guilford High School and Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin, before obtaining his law degree from Northern Illinois University. Yarbrough was a 17th Judicial Circuit Court associate judge from 2007 until retiring in 2019.

Before serving as a judge, Yarbrough worked as an assistant state's attorney in Winnebago County for 17 years and also worked as an adult probation officer.

Want to learn more about Patrick Yarbrough? Visit the Rockford Public Library's Local History Room at rockfordpubliclibrary.org/local-history or in person at the Hart Interim Library, 214 N. Church St.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: \Black History Month: Who was Rockford's first Black judge?