Wiley Manuel

Wiley William Manuel (August 28, 1927–January 5, 1981) was an associate justice of the Supreme Court of California from 1977 to 1981 and the first African American to serve on the high court. Biography Manuel was born in Oakland, California, grew up near Ward and Dohr Streets in South Berkeley, and was educated in the public schools. After graduating in 1945 from Berkeley High School he studied at the University of California, Berkeley. Then he attended Hastings College of Law and in 1953 received his LL.B. degree with Order of the Coif honors. He also served as Editor-in-Chief of the Hastings Law Journal. Following law school, Manuel worked for 23 years in the California Attorney General's office, rising to chief assistant attorney general in the San Francisco office. In March 1956, then-Deputy Attorney General Manuel announced that municipalities adding fluoride to public drinking water cannot be charged with practicing dentistry. In February 1976, Governor Jerry Brown appointed Manuel to the post of judge of the Alameda County Superior Court.