February 24, 2025 | by Wong Fleming

This Black History Month, we honor the groundbreaking contributions of Black women who have shaped the legal profession and advanced justice in the United States.

• Charlotte E. Ray, the first Black woman lawyer in the U.S., was admitted to the bar in 1872, specializing in corporate law despite facing systemic discrimination.

• Eunice Carter, one of the first Black women prosecutors in the country, played a pivotal role in convicting mob boss Charles “Lucky” Luciano by exposing organized crime’s link to prostitution.

• Constance Baker Motley was the first Black woman to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court and later became the first Black woman federal judge, playing a key role in landmark civil rights cases.

• Jane Bolin became the first Black woman judge in the U.S. in 1939, using her position to fight for civil rights and child welfare reforms.

• Ketanji Brown Jackson made history in 2022 as the first Black woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, bringing her extensive judicial experience and dedication to equal justice to the nation’s highest bench.

Their legacies, along with those of many others, continue to inspire and empower future generations of Black women in law and the legal profession as a whole.