Ray, Charlotte E.
1850-1911 · Contribution: 1872
First known African American woman lawyer in the United States
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Impact on the world
Became the first known African American woman to both earn a law degree and obtain a license to practice law in the United States, opening a path for Black women lawyers that would lead, 150 years later, to a Black woman Supreme Court Justice.
Life & background
Ray became the first known African American woman lawyer in the United States in 1872, both earning her law degree and obtaining a license to practice, a foundational milestone in the 150-year history of Black women's participation in American law that historians trace forward to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Sources
- TIME (The History Behind the First Black Woman Supreme Court Justice Nominee); Britannica (Charlotte E. Ray); BlackPast.org; DC Office of the Attorney General (Black History Month: Celebrating Charlotte E. Ray)
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