Motley, Constance Baker

1921-2005 · Contribution: 1945-1966

Law & Civil Rights

First Black woman to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court; wrote the original Brown v. Board of Education complaint

Law & Civil Rights: collage image
Law & Civil Rights

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Quick facts

Born
1921-2005
Category
Law & Civil Rights

Impact on the world

Motley was the civil-rights movement's leading courtroom strategist for Black plaintiffs, then broke barriers in the legislature and on the federal bench.

An alternative history

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Sources

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    NAACP Legal Defense Fund

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