Charlye O. Farris

{{short description|American lawyer}}

{{Infobox person

| honorific_prefix =

| name = Charlye Ola Farris

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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1929|6|30}}

| birth_place = Wichita Falls, Texas

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2010|02|18|1929|6|30}}

| death_place = Wichita Falls

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| education = {{plainlist|

• Prairie View A&M College
• University of Denver
• Howard University

}}

| occupation = Lawyer, judge

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Charlye Ola Farris (1929-2010) was Texas’ first African American female lawyer.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ERIwAAAAMAAJ|title=Texas Almanace, 1986-1987: State Industrial Guide|last=Kingston|first=Mike|date=1985|publisher=A. H. Belo Corporation, The Dallas Morning News|isbn=9780914511021|language=en}}

She was born on June 30, 1929, in Wichita Falls, Texas, to educators James Randolph Farris, Sr. and Roberta Bell.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=128699|title=Charlye Ola Farris Historical Marker|website=www.hmdb.org|access-date=2019-08-28}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89834714/charlye-ola-farris|title=Charlye Ola Farris|last=|first=|date=|website=Find a Grave|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}} Upon earning her political science degree from Prairie View A&M College in 1948, she worked briefly as an educator before pursuing a career in law. She received her legal education firstly from the University of Denver and secondly at the Howard University in Washington D.C. She graduated with a law degree from the latter institution in 1953. Farris was the first African American female admitted to practice law in Texas the same year. Thereafter, she became the first female lawyer in her hometown of Wichita Falls. She also became the first African American female to serve as the Special Wichita County Judge in 1954. In 1973, she served in a judicial capacity yet again as the acting District Judge of the 78th District Court in Wichita County.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wichitacountyhistoricalcommission.org/charlye-ola-farris.html|title=Charlye Ola Farris|last=|first=|date=|website=WICHITA COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.county.org/County-Magazine/January-February-2018/My-Friend-Charlye-Farris|title=My Friend Charlye Farris|last=Macha|first=Barry|date=|website=Texas Association of Counties|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}

Farris died on February 18, 2010 in Wichita Falls.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TAQ8U2H6hPUC|title=Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress|last=Congress|first=United States|date=2010|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newschannel6now.com/story/12037519/charlye-farris-laid-to-rest|title=Charlye Farris Laid To Rest|last=|first=|date=|website=News Channel 6|language=en-US|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-08-28}} In 2011, the Texas Historical Commission erected a marker to celebrate Farris’ legacy. Scholarships have also been created throughout Texas in Farris’ honor. For instance, the Travis County Women’s Lawyer Association created a scholarship in the honor of both Farris and Edna Cisneros.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tcwla.org/farris-cisneros-scholarship/|title=Farris-Cisneros Scholarship|website=www.tcwla.org|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-28}} Farris was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.

Midwestern State University announced at the May 6, 2021, board meeting, the naming of the new Charlye O. Farris Social Justice Resource Center.{{Cite web|date=2021-05-06|title=MSU Texas: Board of Regents honors three lives by renaming facilities|url=https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/msu-texas-board-of-regents-honors-three-lives-by-renaming-facilities/|access-date=2021-06-07|website=Texomashomepage.com|language=en-US}} Farris was a member of the MSU Texas Board of Regents from 2006 to 2010.