Each year the Peachtree City chapter, Fayette-Starr’s Mill, of the Daughters of the American Revolution select a notable woman of history in Fayette County. March is officially “Women’s History Month” so the chapter uses this occasion to acknowledge the outstanding contributions of the woman of the chapter’s choice.
Since the chapter organized in 2004 it has selected a notable woman of history every year and honored her at a March chapter meeting. This year on March 10 the chapter honored Judge Carla Wong McMillian. She was presented a certificate by the American History Chairman Sally Raymond and her picture was placed in a display at the Peachtree City Library for “Women’s History Month” the entire month of March.
Our recipient for 2014 is truly a remarkable woman. Judge McMillian began her legal career as a federal law clerk for the Honorable William C. O’Kelley of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ga. She then joined the law firm of Sutherland, Asbill and Brennan where she made partner.
In 2010, Judge McMillian was appointed by Governor Sonny Perdue to serve as State Court Judge for Fayette County. In 2012, she was re-elected to that position by the voters of Fayette County by an overwhelming majority.
In January 2013, Governor Nathan Deal appointed Judge McMillian to the Georgia Court of Appeals, making her the first Asian Pacific American state appellate judge ever to be appointed in the Southeast.
Judge McMillian lives in Fayette County with her husband and two children. She demonstrates a strong commitment of service to her community.
She has been involved with the Georgia Asian Pacific Bar Association, the Fayette County Historical Society, the Partnership against Domestic Violence, the Real Life Center, the Atlanta Chapter of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, the Rotary Club of Peachtree City, and Dogwood Church in Tyrone.
In February 2013 she spoke to the Fayette-Starr’s Mill Chapter. She is generous to share her time with groups. In September 2013 she was the keynote speaker at the Georgia State DAR Constitution Week Luncheon at Ansley Golf Club.
Judge Carla Wong McMillian is certainly qualified for the Notable Woman of History Award. She has the distinction of being 1) the first lawyer in her family, 2) the first Asian American female trial court judge in Georgia, 3) the first minority woman elected countywide to any office in Fayette County, 4) the first female elected judge of Asian descent in Georgia, and 5) the first Fayette Countian and Asian Pacific American to be appointed to the Georgia State Appellate Court.
I wanted to share this information with the citizens of Fayette County.
Judy L. Hughes, Regent
Fayette-Starr’s Mill Chapter
Daughters of the American Revolution
Peachtree City, Ga.
