ORLANDO, Fla. — He was the first African-American appointed to the 18th Judicial Circuit in Florida, and today, his legacy is having a lasting impact on race relations across the state.

• Ex-Florida Supreme Court Justice James Perry grew up in civil rights era
• He was the 1st African-American appointed to the 18th Judicial Circuit
• He says despite progress, race relations still have room for improvement

With each turn of the page in his family photo album, former Florida Supreme Court Justice James Perry traveled back in time, down a path detailing not just his own history, but also African-American history spanning from North Carolina to Florida during the civil rights era.

"I wasn’t supposed to go to college; I wasn’t supposed to do anything," Perry said.

Out of despair, Perry paved that path himself, vowing to break free from disparity during a time of segregation in America.

"As an 11-year-old, you can see the conditions in the black community and the white community, having to ride in the back of the bus, not being able to drink the white water, had to drink the colored water. At the bus station, you had a barrier there: You had the whites on one side and blacks on another side. You could see the inequality."

Perry would go on to enlist in the U.S. Army, staying stateside during the Vietnam War.

He says the biggest catalyst in his life came on the day Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

"The commentator came on, and we were watching television and it said, Malcolm (X) is dead, Whitney is dead, went through the litany of black leaders that are dead, and said, 'Who will lead them now?' and I said to myself, 'They said I'm an officer, a gentleman and a leader — why not me?'" Perry said.

Over the next 30 years, Perry became a judicial leader known throughout Georgia and Florida, eventually becoming the first African-American appointed to the 18th Judicial Circuit, which includes Brevard and Seminole counties.

In 2009, Perry took office as the 85th justice to the Florida Supreme Court appointed by former Gov. Charlie Crist.

He says that although race relations have changed over the years, there is still room for improvement, citing the need for African-Americans on the Florida Supreme Court justice bench.

"It’s important to have us there. Even though we don't constitute a majority, at least we can change a conversation," Perry said.

Dr. Chrysalis Wright is an associate lecturer of psychology at UCF. She says that although the U.S. has evolved a lot since the civil rights era, racism still exists.

"We talk a lot, but there hasn't been a lot of overall effort to completely eradicate racism in this country. We have made some great efforts, but it's still there," Wright said.

Meanwhile, Perry won't forget how far people have come — and the journey still ahead.

Perry retired from the Florida Supreme Court in December 2016. He still makes a point to mentor youth and inspire younger generations.