(BALTIMORE – June 8, 2025) – Secure your seat today for Doni Glover 6.0: A BMORENews Benefit, happening Friday, June 27, 2025, from 7 to 10 p.m. at Baltimore Unity Hall, 1505 Eutaw Place. RSVP now at DoniGlover60.eventbrite.com.
This unforgettable evening will feature the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards, an ongoing tradition by BMORENews since 2011. The awards have honored nearly 3,000 Black entrepreneurs, professionals, and their allies in nine major U.S. cities.
The event marks Doni Glover’s 60th birthday and supports BMORENews’ ongoing work, including our award-winning TV show, podcast, and the continued recognition of Black excellence. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Bea Gaddy Center for its vital community service.
Honorees include the Honorable Robert Bell.
Who is the Honorable former Chief Judge?
Former Chief Judge, Maryland Court of Appeals (1996–2013)
Robert M. Bell served as Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals—the state’s highest court—from 1996 until his retirement on July 6, 2013. He was the first African American to hold this position. Upon retirement, he became a Senior Judge on July 6, 2024.
Judge Bell’s judicial career spanned nearly four decades. He was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 1991, representing the 6th Appellate Circuit (Baltimore City), after serving on the Court of Special Appeals from 1984 to 1991. He previously served as an Associate Judge on the Baltimore City Circuit Court (1980–84) and on the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore City (1975–80).
Throughout his career, Judge Bell was a steadfast advocate for access to justice, judicial reform, and public trust in the legal system. He chaired numerous bodies within the Maryland Judiciary, including the Maryland Judicial Conference (1996–2013), Judicial Council (2000–2013), and the Technology Oversight Board (1999–2013). He also led the Maryland Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission (1998–2001) and the Committee on Building Public Trust and Confidence in the Justice System (1998–99).
Judge Bell’s leadership extended beyond Maryland. He served as President of the Conference of Chief Justices (2006–07) and chaired the Board of Directors for the National Center for State Courts. He also contributed nationally through roles on various legal boards and advisory committees.
A passionate advocate for civil rights and education, Judge Bell has been honored extensively. Notable recognitions include the John Marshall Award from the ABA Justice Center (2013), the William H. Hastie Award from the National Bar Association (2011), and the Frederick Douglass Award from the University of Maryland System (2006). He was inducted into the National Bar Association Hall of Fame in 2011 and named one of America’s “500 Leading Judges” by The Lawdragon in 2006.
Judge Bell is a graduate of Morgan State College (B.A. in History & Political Science, 1966) and Harvard Law School (J.D., 1969). He was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1969.
A respected voice in community service, Judge Bell has served on boards for institutions such as Johns Hopkins Medicine, the University of Maryland School of Law, Sojourner-Douglass College, and the Advanced Science and Technology Adjudication Resource (ASTAR) Center.
In 2010, Morgan State University renamed its Center for Civil Rights in Education the Robert M. Bell Center for Civil Rights in Education in recognition of his lifelong dedication to justice and education.
