Sarah T. Hughes: The Trailblazing Judge Who Made History on Air Force One

ost people remember November 22, 1963, for the tragic assassination of President Kennedy. But that same dark day also marked a historic first when Sarah T. Hughes became the first and only woman to swear in a U.S. President. Aboard Air Force One, this pioneering federal judge administered the Presidential Oath of Office to Lyndon B. Johnson, creating one of the most iconic images in American political history.

But Hughes was breaking barriers long before that fateful day. Born Sarah Tilghman in Baltimore in 1896, she was described as “extremely intelligent and also very determined” from a young age 3. After moving to Dallas in 1922 with her husband, she embarked on a legal career that would make her Texas’ first female state and federal judge.

Hughes wasn’t just about collecting “firsts” – she was a passionate advocate for equality and civil rights. As the first woman federal judge in Texas, she used her position to champion women’s rights and social justice causes. Her dedication to these principles was so significant that there’s now a Hughes Civil Rights Award given “to honor that man or woman who promotes the advancement of civil and human rights.