From the Boston Globe: 

Chief Justice-designee Roderick I. Ireland is shown in 2009 photo sitting next to two of his current colleagues on the Supreme Judicial Court, Justices Margot Botsford and Robert J. Cordy.

Both the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald are reporting that Governor Deval Patrick has nominated Roderick Ireland to be the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court to replace retiring Justice Margaret Marshall. This is a history-making decision.

Declaring that he was “making history,” Gov. Deval Patrick nominated Roderick Ireland to be the first black chief justice of the state Supreme Judicial Court this morning, saying he was the, “right pick at the right time for the needs of the court.”

If approved by the Governor’s Council, associate justice Ireland will replace Chief Justice Margaret Marshall – who was the first female chief justice.

“We are making history again today. Justice Ireland will be the first African American to serve as Chief Justice of the SJC,” Patrick said, but later added that race was “secondary or tertiary,” to his decision.

Read the full Herald article here and the full Globe article here.