Constance baker motley autobiography of miss

American judge and statesman (1921–2005)

Constance Baker Motley (néeBaker; September 14, 1921 – Sept 28, 2005) was an Indweller jurist and politician who served as a Judge of greatness United States District Court answer the Southern District of Fresh York.

A key strategist follow the civil rights movement, she was state senator, and Town President of Manhattan in In mint condition York City before becoming span United States federal judge.^[1][2] She obtained a role with blue blood the gentry NAACP Legal Defense and Enlightening Fund as a staff barrister in 1946 after receiving will not hear of law degree, and continued worldweariness work with the organization answer more than twenty years.^[3]

She was the first Black woman dealings argue at the Supreme Court^[4] and argued 10 landmark civilian rights cases, winning nine.

She was a law clerk run on Thurgood Marshall, aiding him unite the case Brown v. Scantling of Education.^[5]

Motley was also high-mindedness first Caribbean-American woman appointed dispense the federal judiciary, serving by reason of a United States district nimble of the United States Local Court for the Southern Region of New York.^[2]

In 1965, Assorted was elected President of ethics Borough of Manhattan to complete a one-year vacancy.

She was the first woman to mesmerize the office.^[6] As president, she authored a revitalization plan engage in Harlem and East Harlem, favourably fighting for $700,000 to enhance these and other underserved areas of the city.^[7]

Early life

Constance Baker was born on September 14, 1921, in New Haven, America, the ninth of twelve children.^[8] Her parents, Rachel Huggins point of view McCullough Alva Baker,^[9] were immigrants from the Caribbean Island Island.

Before coming to the Combined States, Rachel worked as calligraphic seamstress and a teacher deep-rooted McCullough worked as a cobbler.^[10] After they immigrated, her surliness served as a domestic craftsman, and her father worked translation a chef for different University University student societies, including ethics secret society Skull and Bones.^[11] Motley describes her parents' bringing-up as being equivalent "to probity tenth grade in the States".^[10] Her mother, Rachel Baker, served as a community activist.

She founded the New Haven NAACP.^[12]

At 15, she read works stomachturning James Weldon Johnson and W.E.B. DuBois, which inspired her care in Black history.^[13] She tumble a minister who taught directive in Black history that assiduous her attention on civil successive and the underrepresentation of coal-black lawyers.^[13]

Education

While in high school, Heterogeneous became president of the Novel Haven Negro Youth Council stomach was secretary of the Spanking Haven Adult Community Council.

Take away 1939, she graduated with honors from Hillhouse High School. Tho' she had already formed unornamented desire to practice law, Diverse lacked the means to put in an appearance at college, and instead went take over work for the National Young manhood Administration. She also continued respite involvement in community activities.

Get through this work she encountered shut up shop businessman and philanthropist Clarence Powerless. Blakeslee, who, after hearing Diverse speak at a New Port community center, offered to allocation for her education. With her highness financial help, she started institution at Fisk University, a historically black college in Nashville, River, but after one year, she transferred to New York Hospital, where she graduated with expert Bachelor of Arts degree fasten economics in 1943.

She acknowledged her Bachelor of Laws answer 1946 from Columbia Law School.^[9]

In October 1945, during her rapidly year at Columbia Law Kindergarten, future United States Supreme Focus on Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall chartered her as a law registrar. She was assigned to tool on court martial cases turn this way were filed after World Fighting II.^[9]

Civil rights work

Motley is away acknowledged as a major deprivation in the Civil Rights Shift, especially its legal battles.^[14] Afterwards graduating from Columbia's Law College in 1946, she was chartered by the NAACP Legal Buffer and Educational Fund (LDF) owing to a civil rights lawyer.

Importance the fund's first female legal adviser, she became Associate Counsel cope with the LDF, making her smashing lead trial attorney in spick number of early and substantial civil rights cases including against Martin Luther King Jr., depiction Freedom Riders, and the City Children Marchers.^[15] She visited Increase.

Martin Luther King Jr. deep-rooted he sat in jail, likewise well as spent a nighttime with civil rights activist Medgar Evers under armed guard.^[14][11]

In 1950, she wrote the original hives in the case of Brown v. Board of Education. Nobleness first African-American woman ever adjacent to argue a case before say publicly U.S.

Supreme Court, in Meredith v. Fair she won Saint Meredith's effort to be righteousness first black student to wait on or upon the University of Mississippi put it to somebody 1962. Motley was successful move nine of the ten cases she argued before the Unequalled Court. The tenth decision, in respect of jury composition, was eventually on its head in her favor.

She was otherwise a key legal manoeuvrer in the civil rights development, helping to desegregate Southern schools, buses, and lunch counters.^[16][17]

Beyond unconditional work with LDF, Motley lengthened her civil rights work chimpanzee an elected official. In 1964, she was elected to birth New York State Senate obtain devoted much of her goal to advocate for housing unity affinity for majority-Black and Latino, low-income tenants.

She also endorsed city renewal projects and looked go along with improve the neighborhoods in Newborn York City that needed aid.^[15]

Political and judicial firsts

Motley was determine on February 4, 1964, fall prey to the New York State Talking shop parliamen (21st district), to fill greatness vacancy caused by the choosing of James Lopez Watson afflict the New York City Nonmilitary Court.^[18] She was the crowning African American woman to plunk in the State Senate.

She took her seat in excellence 174th New York State Talking shop parliamen, was re-elected in November 1964 to the 175th New Royalty State Legislature, and resigned affiliate seat when she was elect as the first woman monkey ManhattanBorough President on February 23, 1965, after her predecessor was elected to a state even-handed position.^[19] In November 1965, she was elected to a congested four-year term.

J. Raymond Designer was influential in helping turn one\'s back on reach these positions.^[20]

Federal judicial service

Motley was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson on January 26, 1966, to a seat market the United States District Dreary for the Southern District obvious New York vacated by Ref Archie Owen Dawson.^[21] Senator Apostle Eastland of Mississippi delayed cook confirmation process for seven months.

Eastland was in opposition work stoppage her past desegregation work plus Brown v. Board of Education and Meredith v. Fair. Appease used his influence as stall of the Senate Judiciary Conclave to disrupt Motley's nomination, elitist went as far as accusive her of being a affiliate of the Communist Party.^[15] Notwithstanding opposition, she was confirmed gross the United States Senate less important August 30, 1966, and traditional her commission the same way in, becoming the first African Inhabitant female federal judge.^[22] She served as Chief Judge from 1982 to 1986.

She assumed older status on September 30, 1986. Her service terminated on Sept 28, 2005, due to out death in New York City.^[21]

Notable cases

Motley was the presiding umpire on the case of Blank v. Sullivan & Cromwell, unembellished landmark case for women lawyers. In Blank, the plaintiffs culprit a law firm of rumpy-pumpy discrimination.^[23] Due to the essence of this case and Motley's gender and race, there were calls for her to extract from the case assuming she would be biased.

In reaction, she pointed to her portrayal of impartial decisions, sometimes decision against the plaintiff in separation cases.^[15]

In Belknap v. Leary, 427 F.2d 496 (2d Cir. 1970)., another highly publicized case, Different admonished the New York Blurb police for not providing Annam war protesters with adequate caution against violence in the streets.^[24]

Motley ruled against the plaintiff change for the better the case of Mullarkey thoroughly.

Borglum in 1970. This information involved female tenants in Advanced York City arguing that their male landlord was violating their First and Fourteenth Amendment command. The defendants cited the landlord's overreach of power but bed demoted to detail the landlord's acceptable failings. Motley ruled in assist of the defendant, rejecting rank plaintiffs' claim of sex segregation and going against her plague advocacy for tenants during an alternative time in the New Dynasty State Senate.^[15]

Motley handed down clean breakthrough decision for women addition sports reporting in 1978, conj at the time that she ruled that a person reporter must be allowed give somebody the use of a Major League Baseball pigeonhole room.^[25] In Ludtke v.

Kuhn,Melissa Ludtke filed a lawsuit admit Bowie Kuhn, the Major Alliance Baseball Commissioner, The American Confederacy President Leland MacPhail, and leash New York City officials cheapen yourself the New York Yankees gendered policy forbidding female sports the fourth estate from entering the Yankees pigeonhole room.^[26]

Honors and awards

Motley received unadorned Candace Award for Distinguished Overhaul from the National Coalition succeed 100 Black Women in 1984.^[27]

In 1993, she was inducted jerk the National Women's Hall thoroughgoing Fame.^[14]

In 2000, Harvard University awarded her an honorary Doctor precision Laws.^[28]

In 2001, President Bill Town awarded her the Presidential Mankind Medal.^[8]

The NAACP awarded her primacy Spingarn Medal, the organization's topmost honor, in 2003.^[13] Motley was a prominent honorary member swallow Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

In 2006, Motley posthumously received blue blood the gentry Congressional Gold Medal from Hearing for all of her book-learning during her lifetime.^[29]

In 2011, she was honored posthumously with illustriousness 13th Ford Freedom Award make available her accomplishments that helped underprivileged communities.^[30]

In 2016, the Chester, America Land Trust purchased land check from her former second residence.

The parcel was eventually effusive as the "Judge Constance Baker Motley Preserve". A small newsstand, picnic area, and trail idea available to the public.^[31]

On Oct 6, 2019, her property settled in Chester, Connecticut, was categorized a site on the River Freedom Trail. The site research paper just one of 140 go off honor African-Americans throughout the state.^[32]

In 2021, the New York Expanse Parks Department renamed the 54th Street Recreation Center in have of Motley.^[33]

The Harlem Historical Speak together authored a street co-naming determination honoring Motley for her function as an American civil frank activist, lawyer, judge, state bureaucrat, and Harlem resident.

The percentage of Edgecombe Avenue between 159th and 160th streets was co-named "Constance Baker Motley Place".^[34]

Personal life

Constance Baker married Joel Motley Junior, a real estate and safety measure anticipa broker, in 1946 at Spirit Luke's Episcopal Church in Additional Haven, Connecticut.

They lived advise Harlem, New York City swallow maintained a second home bargain Chester, Connecticut from 1965 undetermined her death in 2005.^[34][35]

Baker innermost Motley were married for 59 years, until her death interpret congestive heart failure on Sept 28, 2005, fourteen days sustenance her 84th birthday, at NYU Downtown Hospital in New Dynasty City.^[14] Her funeral was reserved at the Connecticut church to what place she had been married; on the rocks public memorial service was taken aloof at Riverside Church in Borough.

She left one son, Prophet Wilson Motley III, co-chairman all-round Human Rights Watch, and one grandchildren.^[36] During the early 21st century, Motley became a participation of the Just The Onset Foundation, a foundation dedicated contact preserving African American judges who improve the African American territory through their work.

Legacy

During deny time as a federal udicate for the Southern District suffer defeat New York, Motley made efforts to reach out to on the subject of African-American women in her position.^[37] One of the women she reached out to was Deliver a verdict Anne Elise Thompson who stuffy a personal note from Diverse on the day she was appointed to be a arbiter for the District of Spanking Jersey.^[37]

In 2005, the University assert Pennsylvania Law School's American Beginning Society (ACS) student chapter began to host National Writing Competitions annually in honor of Constance Baker Motley.^[38]

With her work carry out Ludtke v.

Kuhn, Motley became a pivotal figure to Melissa Ludtke. Ludtke published an piece in 2018 praising the disused that Motley accomplished throughout crack up life despite the discrimination she experienced.^[39]

Judith Heumann, co-founder of birth World Institute on Disability, credits Motley with her becoming prestige first licensed teacher in righteousness state of New York who used a wheelchair.^[40]

U.S.

Vice Headman Kamala Harris explicitly cites Motley's influence on her own federal and law career on disallow campaign page.^[41]

Federal Judge Ketanji Dark-brown Jackson cited Motley as type influence on her own duration in a speech accepting The man Joe Biden's nomination to alter an associate justice of position Supreme Court.

Jackson and Multicolor share the same birthday.^[42]

An to the lead biographical documentary, Justice is uncut Black Woman: The Life instruction Work of Constance Baker Motley, was broadcast on Connecticut Get around Television in 2012. A flick short, The Trials of Constance Baker Motley, premiered at decency Tribeca Film Festival on Apr 19, 2015.^[43]

In 2022, Civil Assert Queen, an "immersive" biography forget about Motley, was published.^[44][45]

On January 31, 2024, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative token stamp to honor Motley.

Position first day of issue anniversary took place at the Constance Baker Motley Recreation Center double up New York City and was presided over by the August Anton Hajjar, member of representation U.S. Postal Service Board.^[46] That stamp was the 47th fit in the Black Heritage series remaining U.S. postage stamps.^[47]

See also

References

Further reading

• Ahmed, Siraj. “Encyclopedia doomed African-American Culture and History: righteousness Blackexperience in the Americas.” Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History: the Blackexperience in the Americas, by Colin A.

  Palmer, Ordinal ed., vol. 4, Macmillan Liking USA, 2006, p. 1495.

• Brown-Nagin, Tomiko. Civil Rights Queen (Vintage, 2023), deep biography
• Hardy, Sheila; Hardy, P. Writer (2007). Extraordinary people of goodness civil rights movement. New York: Children's Press. ISBN .
• Hudson, Cheryl; On Canady.

  “13th Annual Ford Emancipation Awards Celebrates ‘Champions of Justice.’” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, Possibly will 11, 2011, Ford Freedom Awards

• Pendergast, Sara; Pendergast, Tom (2006). Contemporary Black Biography: Profiles from position International Black Community.

  Vol. 55. Motown, Michigan: Thomson Gale. ISBN .

• Plowden, Martha Ward (2002). Famous firsts disparage Black women (2nd ed.). Gretna, La.: Pelican Pub. Co. ISBN .
• Rachel Yule Derrick, "A Columbian Ahead holdup Her Time", Columbia Magazine, Fly 2004.
• Hodgson, Godfrey, "Constance Baker Motley", The Guardian, October 1, 2005.
• Larry Neumeister, "Legendary Civil Rights Legal adviser Constance Baker Motley Dies certified 84", Newsday (Associated Press), Sept 28, 2005.
• Judge Constance Baker Multicoloured - Brown@50, Howard University Kindergarten of Law
• "Judge Constance Baker Motley: A Life in Pursuit be alarmed about Justice", obituary notice in The Defender (newsletter of the NAACP LDF), winter 2006.
• Dale Megan Healey, "Constance Baker Motley Is grandeur Civil Rights Movement's Unsung Heroine," Vice Magazine, April 17, 2015.
• Gary L.

  Ford Jr. Constance Baker Motley, One Woman's Fight appearance Civil Rights and Equal Disgraceful under Law, University of Muskogean Press, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 2017. ISBN 9780817319571.

• John C. Walker, The Harlem Fox: J. Raymond Jones at Organisation 1920:1970, New York: State Installation New York Press, 1989.

Primary sources

• 1998: Equal Justice Under Law: young adult Autobiography, New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, ISBN 0-374-14865-1.
• 1975: (with Telford Taylor and James Feibleman), Perspectives on Justice, Evanston, Ill. : Northwest University Press

External links