Remarks at the Naming Ceremony, Robert H. Jackson United States Courthouse, Buffalo, New York

(Excerpt) Thank you, Chief Judge Skretny, for that generous introduction. Thank you and congratulations, for vision and dedicated efforts, to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand; Representative Higgins; Chief Judge Skretny and Judge Arcara; Chief Judge Katzmann; Chief Judge Preska; all of their judicial and court colleagues; Administrator Pease; Mayor Brown and city officials; Buffalo law, business and civic leaders; and the people—all of the lucky “Jacksonland” people—of the Western District of New York. As has been noted, young Robert H. Jackson’s life path ran right through this site. Born in Spring Creek, Pennsylvania, Jackson grew up there and then in Chautauqua County, New York, in the hamlet of Frewsburg and then in the city of Jamestown. He became a law apprentice in Jamestown and then a law student at Albany Law School. In late 1913, 100 years ago this November, Robert Jackson, age 21, was admitted to the New York State bar. He began to practice law in Jamestown and throughout the southern tier and in Erie County. In 1915, Jackson joined the bar of this Court. In the Mayville, New York, county courtroom (which today features Jackson’s portrait), he met and came to impress greatly a new judge, Charles B. Sears of Buffalo, who was presiding there as a visiting judge. In 1916, Sears arranged for his former partners in the law firm then known as Penney, Killeen & Nye, located in Buffalo’s Ellicott Square Building, to meet, recruit and hire young lawyer Robert Jackson