By: Lennard James
From Breaking Barriers as Shelby County’s First Black Sheriff to Mentoring Aspiring Attorneys, Higgs Built a Legacy of Leadership, Opportunity, and Service
MEMPHIS, TN. Leadership is not always measured by the titles a person holds, the elections they win, or the recognition they receive. Sometimes, its greatest measure is found in the people they help, the opportunities they create, and the doors they open for those who follow. Judge W. Otis Higgs Jr. understood that responsibility. Throughout his life, he demonstrated that leadership was not simply about achieving personal success but about using his influence, knowledge, and position to help others advance.
A giant of a man in both stature and character, Higgs possessed a commanding presence that spoke volumes before he ever said a word. He was unwavering, unbothered, confident, and comfortable standing on his convictions. His distinguished career as an attorney, sheriff, judge, pastor, and community leader established him as an important figure in Memphis and Shelby County history.
But beyond his public accomplishments, Higgs was a man who understood the importance of helping the next generation succeed.
Born August 14, 1937, Higgs earned his undergraduate degree from LeMoyne-Owen College and his law degree from the University of Memphis. After being admitted to the Tennessee bar in 1967, he began building a legal career during an era when African American attorneys faced significant barriers to professional advancement.
Rather than allowing those obstacles to limit his ambitions, Higgs pursued opportunities that would eventually place him among the area’s most recognizable legal figures.
One of his historic accomplishments came when he was appointed Shelby County’s first Black sheriff following the death of the previous sheriff. Although his tenure lasted approximately 82 days, the appointment represented a breakthrough in local law enforcement leadership and demonstrated that African Americans could occupy positions historically closed to them.
Higgs also pursued public office, running unsuccessfully for mayor of Memphis and mayor of Shelby County. His willingness to enter those races reflected his commitment to public leadership and his determination to participate in shaping the community’s future.
In 1998, he was elected judge of Division II of the Shelby County Criminal Court and was reelected without opposition in 2006. His years on the bench added to an already substantial career in law and public service.
Yet one of the most meaningful aspects of Higgs’ legacy was his willingness to help others pursue their own opportunities.
For young people who dreamed of becoming attorneys, Judge Higgs was someone they could turn to for guidance, encouragement, and support. Whether an aspiring law student needed a letter of recommendation to strengthen an application or a future attorney needed encouragement while preparing for the bar examination, Higgs understood the importance of extending a helping hand.
He recognized that talent and ambition alone were not always enough. Sometimes, a young person needed someone established in the profession to recognize their potential, offer direction, or provide the confidence necessary to continue pursuing a difficult goal.
A recommendation letter from a respected judge could help an aspiring student present their qualifications to a law school. Advice from an experienced attorney could help a bar examination candidate better understand the demands of entering the profession. For individuals without established connections in the legal community, access to that kind of guidance could be especially meaningful.
Higgs understood the value of those opportunities because he had built his own career during a period when such doors were not always open.
His willingness to assist others reflected a broader philosophy of leadership: Success carries a responsibility to create opportunities for the next generation.
He did not have to help aspiring lawyers. He had already earned his place in the profession. Yet he understood that a community becomes stronger when those who have achieved success are willing to share their knowledge and influence.
That commitment extended beyond the legal profession.
As a pastor in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Higgs also provided spiritual leadership. His ministry included service at Featherstone CME Church and Collins Chapel CME Church, where his responsibilities reflected another dimension of his commitment to the community.
He was also a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, whose principles of manhood, scholarship, perseverance, and uplift aligned with the values he demonstrated throughout his career.
To those who encountered him, Higgs represented more than professional achievement. He was an example of what could be accomplished through education, determination, and the courage to pursue leadership despite obstacles.
His presence was unmistakable. He was a giant of a man, unwavering in his beliefs and seemingly unbothered by criticism. He carried himself with an assurance that came from knowing who he was and understanding the responsibilities that accompanied his position.
For me, his example carries an especially personal meaning because Judge W. Otis Higgs Jr. was my uncle.
I understood his accomplishments as a judge, attorney, and historic public official, but I also recognized the importance of his willingness to help others. His example demonstrated that influence has its greatest value when it is used to provide opportunities for people who may otherwise struggle to find them.
It is easy to remember someone for the office they held. It is equally important to remember the aspiring attorney who received encouragement, the student who needed a recommendation, or the individual preparing for the bar examination who benefited from the guidance of someone who had already traveled that road.
Those contributions may never appear in official biographies or courthouse records, but they remain an important part of a person’s legacy.
When Judge W. Otis Higgs Jr. passed away on February 15, 2013, at the age of 75, Memphis lost a trailblazer whose influence extended across law, government, education, and ministry.
His accomplishments deserve recognition, but so does the leadership he demonstrated through his willingness to support others.
Judge W. Otis Higgs Jr. helped break barriers, but he also understood the importance of helping others walk through the doors that education, opportunity, and determination could open.
That is the legacy of a leader whose influence extended far beyond the courtroom.
And that is how I choose to remember my uncle: a giant of a man whose greatest contribution was not simply the history he made, but the people he helped along the way.
