Smyrna proclaims February 2025 Black History Month and honors Judge Yvette Miller

Mayor Derek Norton proclaimed February 2025 as Black History Month in Smyrna and presented the proclamation to Judge Yvette Miller in a ceremonial recognition on Wednesday, highlighting Miller’s long judicial career and the city’s ongoing Black History Month programming.

Why it matters: The proclamation recognizes local and regional contributions by African American leaders and signals civic support for events and preservation work the city is hosting during Black History Month.

The proclamation read in part recounts the national origins of Black History Month and local activities: “Each year, Black History Month, the city of Smyrna celebrates the history and culture of African Americans discovering stories of triumph, courage, and and creativity through lectures, discussions, exhibits, and educational events,” the mayor read from the proclamation. The text noted that the Smyrna Library will host a series of activities and that the city will hold its annual Black History Month celebration dinner.

Latonia Hines, who introduced the proclamation and led the presentation, summarized Judge Miller’s career milestones from the transcript: Miller began as an administrative law judge for the State Board of Workers’ Compensation in 1989, became director and judge of the appellate division in 1992, was appointed to the Fulton County State Court in 1996, and was appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals in 1999. The proclamation noted Miller was the first African American woman appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals and served on that court until December 2024, including a term as chief judge.

Hines and Mayor Norton acknowledged a large group of judges and legal leaders in the chamber who were present to honor Miller, including Judge Anne Harris, Judge Bridget Campbell, Judge Kelly Hill, Judge Sonia Brown, Magistrate Judge Rita Cherry, Cobb County District Attorney Sonya Allen, and Joyette Holmes. Hines said of the example Miller set, “If Judge Miller could, then we could.”

The city also used the event to point residents to Black History Month programming: Hines reminded the audience of a February 28 Black History Month program and a city-sponsored dinner and other library-hosted events. The mayor and council took no formal vote related to the proclamation; it was a ceremonial recognition at the start of the meeting.

Ending: Council members encouraged attendance at upcoming Black History Month events and thanked judges and community partners for participating in the recognition.