▁first ▁black ▁District ▁Court ▁Judge ▁in ▁Kansas ▁and ▁served ▁two ▁success ive ▁four - year ▁terms . ▁He ▁▁ ▁wrote ▁an ▁aut obi ography To ▁Heaven ▁Through ▁Hell : ▁An ▁Aut obi ography ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁Black ▁District ▁Court ▁Judge ▁of ▁Kansas , ▁▁ ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁five ▁years ▁after ▁he ▁retired ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁ ▁Me eks ▁married ▁Cell ast ine ▁Brown ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁and ▁together ▁they ▁had ▁four ▁children : ▁Mar l ene , ▁Cord ell ▁Jr ., ▁Marc ena , ▁and ▁Mar qu ita . ▁Cord ell ▁Jr . ▁followed ▁in ▁his ▁father ' s ▁foot steps ▁and ▁became ▁very ▁active ▁in ▁law ▁and ▁politics . ▁Mar l ene ▁and ▁Marc ena ▁were ▁teachers ▁and ▁Mar qu ita ▁was ▁a ▁music ian . ▁He ▁died ▁on ▁December ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁ ▁His ▁wife ▁compiled ▁many ▁of ▁his ▁papers ▁and ▁speech es ▁and ▁don ated ▁them ▁to ▁the ▁Sp encer ▁Research ▁Library ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Kansas ▁in ▁Lawrence . ▁ ▁References ▁▁ ▁( 1 9 8 7 , ▁December ▁ 1 0 ). ▁Cord ell ▁D . ▁Me eks ▁Sr ., ▁Kansas ▁Judge , ▁ 7 3 ; ▁Ob itu ary . ▁New ▁York ▁Times . ▁https :// www . ny times . com / 1 9 8 7 / 1 2 / 1 0 / ob itu aries / cord ell - d - me eks