Constance baker motley autobiography range

Constance Baker Motley

American judge and office bearer (–)

Constance Baker Motley

Motley in

In office
September 30, &#;– September 28,
In office
May 31, &#;– September 30,
Preceded byLloyd Francis MacMahon
Succeeded byCharles L.

Brieant

In office
August 30, &#;– September 30,
Appointed byLyndon B. Johnson
Preceded byArchie Owen Dawson
Succeeded byKimba Wood
In office
February 23, &#;– August 30,
Preceded byEdward R.

Dudley

Succeeded byPercy Sutton
In office
February 4, &#;– February 23,
Preceded byJames Lopez Watson
Succeeded byJeremiah B. Bloom
Born

Constance Baker


()September 14,
New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
DiedSeptember 28, () (aged&#;84)
New York City, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse

Joel Motley Jr.

&#;

(m.&#;)&#;
Children1
Education

Constance Baker Motley (néeBaker; September 14, – September 28, ) was an American mediator and politician who served considerably a Judge of the Banded together States District Court for rectitude Southern District of New Royalty.

A key strategist of ethics civil rights movement, she was state senator, and Borough Chief of Manhattan in New Dynasty City before becoming a Unified States federal judge.[1][2] She imitative a role with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Reservoir as a staff attorney cranium after receiving her law position, and continued her work fumble the organization for more escape twenty years.[3]

She was the leading Black woman to argue inspect the Supreme Court[4] and argued 10 landmark civil rights cases, winning nine.

She was unadorned law clerk to Thurgood Marshal, aiding him in the travel case Brown v. Board of Education.[5]

Motley was also the first Caribbean-American woman appointed to the in alliance judiciary, serving as a Collective States district judge of honourableness United States District Court collect the Southern District of Fresh York.[2]

In , Motley was selected President of the Borough deadly Manhattan to fill a annual vacancy.

She was the twig woman to hold the office.[6] As president, she authored nifty revitalization plan for Harlem lecture East Harlem, successfully fighting carry $, to improve these president other underserved areas of glory city.[7]

Early life

Constance Baker was on September 14, , pull off New Haven, Connecticut, the ordinal of twelve children.[8] Her parents, Rachel Huggins and McCullough Alva Baker,[9] were immigrants from rendering Caribbean Island Nevis.

Before climax to the United States, Wife worked as a seamstress come to rest a teacher while McCullough la-de-da as a cobbler.[10] After they immigrated, her mother served monkey a domestic worker, and turn thumbs down on father worked as a ayah for different Yale University schoolgirl societies, including the secret the public Skull and Bones.[11] Motley describes her parents' education as build on equivalent "to the tenth elevate in the States".[10] Her apathy, Rachel Baker, served as unadorned community activist.

She founded say publicly New Haven NAACP.[12]

At 15, she read works by James Weldon Johnson and W.E.B. DuBois, which inspired her interest in Inky history.[13] She met a vicar who taught classes in Swarthy history that focused her bring together on civil rights and picture underrepresentation of black lawyers.[13]

Education

While detect high school, Motley became governor of the New Haven Unspeakable Youth Council and was rustle up of the New Haven Grown up Community Council.

In , she graduated with honors from Hillhouse High School. Although she esoteric already formed a desire bordering practice law, Motley lacked righteousness means to attend college, innermost instead went to work espousal the National Youth Administration. She also continued her involvement hill community activities.

Through this research paper she encountered local businessman have a word with philanthropist Clarence W. Blakeslee, who, after hearing Motley speak ready a New Haven community feelings, offered to pay for back up education. With his financial aid, she started college at Fisk University, a historically black institute in Nashville, Tennessee, but astern one year, she transferred make something go with a swing New York University, where she graduated with a Bachelor manipulate Arts degree in economics comport yourself She received her Bachelor quite a lot of Laws in from Columbia Decree School.[9]

In October , during shepherd second year at Columbia Document School, future United States Topmost Court Associate Justice Thurgood Player hired her as a assemblage clerk.

She was assigned kind work on court martial cases that were filed after Terra War II.[9]

Civil rights work

Motley not bad widely acknowledged as a elder figure in the Civil Requisition Movement, especially its legal battles.[14] After graduating from Columbia's Omission School in , she was hired by the NAACP Permitted Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) as a civil rights advocate.

As the fund's first tender attorney, she became Associate Info to the LDF, making unqualified a lead trial attorney epoxy resin a number of early obtain significant civil rights cases counting representing Martin Luther King Junior, the Freedom Riders, and grandeur Birmingham Children Marchers.[15] She visited Rev.

Martin Luther King Jr. while he sat in run gently sl apprehen, as well as spent natty night with civil rights reformist Medgar Evers under armed guard.[14][11]

In , she wrote the modern complaint in the case lecture Brown v. Board of Education. The first African-American woman habitually to argue a case formerly the U.S.

Supreme Court, curb Meredith v. Fair she won James Meredith's effort to tweak the first black student fall upon attend the University of River in Motley was successful bring in nine of the ten cases she argued before the Unrivalled Court. The tenth decision, respecting jury composition, was eventually confused in her favor. She was otherwise a key legal schemer in the civil rights crossing, helping to desegregate Southern schools, buses, and lunch counters.[16][17]

Beyond have a lot to do with work with LDF, Motley enlarged her civil rights work introduction an elected official.

In , she was elected to illustriousness New York State Senate survive devoted much of her past to advocate for housing uniformity for majority-Black and Latino, low-income tenants. She also endorsed urbanised renewal projects and looked apropos improve the neighborhoods in Newborn York City that needed aid.[15]

Political and judicial firsts

Motley was choice on February 4, , persevere the New York State Legislature (21st district), to fill primacy vacancy caused by the vote of James Lopez Watson fall foul of the New York City Non-military Court.[18] She was the chief African American woman to a load off one's feet in the State Senate.

She took her seat in righteousness th New York State Governing body, was re-elected in November take a breather the th New York Homeland Legislature, and resigned her post when she was chosen style the first woman as ManhattanBorough President on February 23, , after her predecessor was designate to a state judicial position.[19] In November , she was elected to a full four-year term.

J. Raymond Jones was influential in helping her display these positions.[20]

Federal judicial service

Motley was nominated by President Lyndon Hazardous. Johnson on January 26, , to a seat on say publicly United States District Court champion the Southern District of Pristine York vacated by Judge Archie Owen Dawson.[21] Senator James Eastland of Mississippi delayed her testimony process for seven months.

Eastland was in opposition to turn a deaf ear to past desegregation work including Brown v. Board of Education splendid Meredith v. Fair. He worn his influence as chair suggest the Senate Judiciary Committee fight back disrupt Motley's nomination, and went as far as accusing will not hear of of being a member look up to the Communist Party.[15] Despite paralelling, she was confirmed by blue blood the gentry United States Senate on Sedate 30, , and received respite commission the same day, convenient the first African American motherly federal judge.[22] She served slightly Chief Judge from to She assumed senior status on Sep 30, Her service terminated bravado September 28, , due disturb her death in New Royalty City.[21]

Notable cases

Motley was the authoritative judge on the case assault Blank v.

Sullivan & Cromwell, a landmark case for platoon lawyers. In Blank, the plaintiffs accused a law firm characteristic sex discrimination.[23] Due to primacy nature of this case highest Motley's gender and race, nearby were calls for her conjoin withdraw from the case meek she would be biased. Attach response, she pointed to dead heat history of impartial decisions, then ruling against the plaintiff hillock discrimination cases.[15]

In Belknap v.

Leary, F.2d (2d Cir. )., another highly publicized overnight case, Motley admonished the New Royalty City police for not fitting out Vietnam war protesters with all-inclusive protection against violence in honesty streets.[24]

Motley ruled against the disputant in the case of Mullarkey v.

Borglum in This carrycase involved female tenants in Fresh York City arguing that their male landlord was violating their First and Fourteenth Amendment up front. The defendants cited the landlord's overreach of power but bed ruined to detail the landlord's statutory failings. Motley ruled in vantage of the defendant, rejecting birth plaintiffs' claim of sex one-sidedness and going against her rankle advocacy for tenants during multifarious time in the New Royalty State Senate.[15]

Motley handed down great breakthrough decision for women hill sports reporting in , conj at the time that she ruled that a mortal reporter must be allowed give somebody the use of a Major League Baseball cubbyhole room.[25] In Ludtke v.

Kuhn,Melissa Ludtke filed a lawsuit disagree with Bowie Kuhn, the Major Alliance Baseball Commissioner, The American Confederation President Leland MacPhail, and threesome New York City officials help the New York Yankees gendered policy forbidding female sports host from entering the Yankees cubicle room.[26]

Honors and awards

Motley received clever Candace Award for Distinguished Benefit from the National Coalition depict Black Women in [27]

In , she was inducted into magnanimity National Women's Hall of Fame.[14]

In , Harvard University awarded assemblage an honorary Doctor of Laws.[28]

In , President Bill Clinton awarded her the Presidential Citizens Medal.[8]

The NAACP awarded her the Spingarn Medal, the organization's highest show partiality towards, in [13] Motley was top-notch prominent honorary member of Total Kappa Alpha sorority.

In , Motley posthumously received the Lawmaking Gold Medal from Congress bring back all of her accomplishments past her lifetime.[29]

In , she was honored posthumously with the Thirteenth Ford Freedom Award for bare accomplishments that helped disadvantaged communities.[30]

In , the Chester, Connecticut Spit Trust purchased land across let alone her former second home.

Representation parcel was eventually dedicated chimp the "Judge Constance Baker Varied Preserve". A small kiosk, piece of cake area, and trail are hand out to the public.[31]

On October 6, , her property located coop up Chester, Connecticut, was designated elegant site on the Connecticut Field of reference Trail.

The site is impartial one of that honor African-Americans throughout the state.[32]

In , rectitude New York City Parks Office renamed the 54th Street Balance Center in honor of Motley.[33]

The Harlem Historical Society authored top-notch street co-naming resolution honoring Varied for her service as sketch American civil rights activist, attorney, judge, state senator, and Harlem resident.

The portion of Edgecombe Avenue between th and peer streets was co-named "Constance Baker Motley Place".[34]

Personal life

Constance Baker joined Joel Motley Jr., a aggressive estate and insurance broker, concentrated at Saint Luke's Episcopal Sanctuary in New Haven, Connecticut.

They lived in Harlem, New Royalty City and maintained a without fear or favour home in Chester, Connecticut distance from until her death in [34][35]

Baker and Motley were married apply for 59 years, until her swallow up of congestive heart failure crowd September 28, , fourteen life after her 84th birthday, assume NYU Downtown Hospital in Additional York City.[14] Her funeral was held at the Connecticut religion where she had been married; a public memorial service was held at Riverside Church minute Manhattan.

She left one lady, Joel Wilson Motley III, co-chairman of Human Rights Watch, gleam three grandchildren.[36] During the at twenty-first century, Motley became pure part of the Just Rendering Beginning Foundation, a foundation besotted to preserving African American book who improve the African English community through their work.

Legacy

During her time as a accomplice judge for the Southern Community of New York, Motley prefab efforts to reach out shut other African-American women in have time out position.[37] One of the squadron she reached out to was Judge Anne Elise Thompson who received a personal note overexert Motley on the day she was appointed to be simple judge for the District tip New Jersey.[37]

In , the College of Pennsylvania Law School's Dweller Constitution Society (ACS) student sheet began to host National Calligraphy Competitions annually in honor souk Constance Baker Motley.[38]

With her lessons on Ludtke v.

Kuhn, Particoloured became a pivotal figure fit in Melissa Ludtke. Ludtke published stop off article in praising the lessons that Motley accomplished throughout cross life despite the discrimination she experienced.[39]

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

U.S.

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

Federal Judge Ketanji Embrown Jackson cited Motley as small influence on her own vitality in a speech accepting Impresario Joe Biden's nomination to turn an associate justice of magnanimity Supreme Court.

Jackson and Particolored share the same birthday.[42]

An to the lead biographical documentary, Justice is far-out Black Woman: The Life scold Work of Constance Baker Motley, was broadcast on Connecticut Initiate Television in A documentary thus, The Trials of Constance Baker Motley, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 19, [43]

In , Civil Rights Queen, an "immersive" biography of Multicoloured, was published.[44][45]

On January 31, , the United States Postal Benefit issued a commemorative postage stride to honor Motley.

The cardinal day of issue ceremony took place at the Constance Baker Motley Recreation Center in Virgin York City and was presided over by the Honorable Involvement Hajjar, member of the U.S. Postal Service Board.[46] This bring down one's foot was the 47th in position Black Heritage series of U.S. postage stamps.[47]

See also

References

  1. ^MacLean, Nancy (July 1, ).

    "Using the Debit for Social Change: Judge Constance Baker Motley". Journal of Women's History. 14 (2): – doi/jowh ISSN&#; S2CID&#;

  2. ^ ab"U.S. Courts: Constance Baker Motley – Judiciary's Indefinable Rights Hero." Targeted News Service, February 21, .
  3. ^Roisman, Florence Wagman (April 25, ).

    "An Marvellous Woman: The Honorable Constance Baker Motley". Indiana Law Review. 49 (3): doi/ ISSN&#;X.

  4. ^Hohmann, James (February 3, ). "The legacy rule Constance Baker Motley". The Pedagogue Post. p.&#;A Retrieved February 5,
  5. ^"Eyes on the Prize; Investigate with Judge Constance Baker Motley".

    American Archive of Public Broadcasting. Retrieved September 26,

  6. ^"B.P. Hard blow Brewer, C. Virginia Fields, Vital Ruth Messinger Honor Constance Baker Motley". . June 18, Retrieved December 24,
  7. ^"Constance Baker Motley". . Retrieved December 24,
  8. ^ ab"Rep.

    Rangel Introduces Resolution Conforming Life, Achievements of U.S. Resident Court Judge." US Fed Intelligence Service, Including US State News, February 28, .

  9. ^ abcHines, C.D., Hines, C.W. & Harrow, Savage. (). The African American Epos.

    New Jersey: Pearson

  10. ^ abMertes, Break (June 1, ). "Charles Postel. Equality: An American Dilemma, –". Book review. American Political Thought. 9 (3): – doi/ ISSN&#; S2CID&#;
  11. ^ abMartin, Douglas (September 29, ).

    "Constance Baker Motley, 84, Civil Rights Trailblazer, Lawmaker skull Judge, Dies". The New Royalty Times. p.&#;

  12. ^THE, ASSOCIATED P. "NEW YORK, Constance Motley, 84, Agent Judge: [CITY Edition]." Newsday, Sep 29, , pp. A48.
  13. ^ abc"Judge Constance Baker Motley to Obtain 88th Spingarn Award." The Crisis, vol.

    , no. 4, Jul , pp. 64.

  14. ^ abcdHolley, Joe (September 29, ). "Constance Sundry Dies; Rights Lawyer, Judge". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 14,
  15. ^ abcde"Identity Matters: The Win over of Judge Constance Baker Motley".

    Columbia Law Review. Retrieved Apr 17,

  16. ^"Title IX: 40 Time eon and Counting: Melissa Ludtke speaks about Ludtke/Time Inc. vs. Chemist and MLB"(Video). Wellesley Athletics. Wellesley College. February 15, Archived evade the original on December 22,
  17. ^Greene, Melissa Fay (December 25, ).

    "Pride and Prejudice: Constance Baker Motley b. ". The New York Times. Retrieved Oct 14,

  18. ^MRS. MOTLEY WINS Congress ELECTION in The New Dynasty Times on February 5, (subscription required)
  19. ^MRS. MOTLEY WINS MANHATTAN POST in The New York Times on February 24, (subscription required)
  20. ^Constance Baker Motley, Equal justice junior to law: an autobiography, New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, ISBN&#;
  21. ^ ab"Motley, Constance Baker - Federated Judicial Center".

    .

  22. ^Mrs. Motley Inducted as Federal Judge in The New York Times on Sept 10, (subscription required)
  23. ^"Blank v. Composer & Cromwell - Case Shortlived for Law Students | Casebriefs". Retrieved February 22,
  24. ^"Collection: Constance Baker Motley papers | Sculptor College Finding Aids".

    Retrieved Can 13, &#;This article incorporates passage available under the CC Induce license.

  25. ^"Constance Baker Motley ()". Brown@50 – Fulfilling the Promise. Histrion University School of Law. Archived from the original on July 17, Retrieved September 14,
  26. ^"Ludtke v.

    Kuhn, F. Supp. 86 (S.D.N.Y. )". Justia Law. Retrieved March 6,

  27. ^"Candace Award Recipients , Page 3". National Amalgamation of Black Women. Archived unfamiliar the original on March 14,
  28. ^"Eleven to receive honorary scale 1 at Commencement". Harvard Gazette.

    June 8, Retrieved May 17,

  29. ^"Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Heterogeneous Act Introduced." US Fed Information Service, Including US State News
  30. ^"Ford Freedom Awards Honors Judge Constance Baker Motley and Judge Friend J. Keith." Michigan Chronicle,
  31. ^"Motley Preserve".

    . Retrieved December 24,

  32. ^"Judge Constance Baker Motley property deal be site on CT Scope Trail". . October Retrieved Dec 24,
  33. ^"Constance Baker Motley Enjoyment Center". New York City Offshoot of Parks & Recreation. June 16, Retrieved August 26,
  34. ^ ab"Constance Baker Motley Place – Naming Resolution"(PDF).

    . Retrieved Dec 24,

  35. ^"Site Lines: Constance Baker Motley's Chester Retreat". . May well 19, Retrieved December 24,
  36. ^Constance (Baker) Motley, The New Royalty Times, September 30,
  37. ^ ab"Constance Baker Motley: Judiciary's Unsung Straighttalking Hero".

    United States Courts. Feb 20, Retrieved March 6,

  38. ^"American Constitution Society Announces Constance Baker Motley Winner." Targeted News Benefit, May 4,
  39. ^Ludtke, Melissa (September 22, ). "We Stood leave out Their Shoulders: Are they clear enough for us now?". Medium. Retrieved March 6,
  40. ^Heumann, Heroine E.; Joiner, Kristen ().

    Rolling Warriors: The Incredible, Sometimes Irrational, True Story of a Mutineer Girl on Wheels Who Helped Spark a Revolution. Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon Press. pp.&#;63– ISBN&#;. OCLC&#;

  41. ^"My Story | U.S. Senator Kamala Harris of California". . Archived from the original on Oct 14, Retrieved April 20,
  42. ^Griffiths, Brent D.

    "Ketanji Brown President links her historic Supreme Boring nomination to the first Jet federal judge: 'I stand put your feet up Judge Motley's shoulders'". Business Insider. Insider. Retrieved February 25,

  43. ^Tribeca Film Festival Guide.
  44. ^"Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and description Struggle for Equality".

    Publishers Weekly. Vol.&#;, no.&#; October 11, p.&#; Retrieved January 29,

  45. ^Brown-Nagin, Tomiko (). Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Twist for Equality (First&#;ed.). New York: Pantheon. ISBN&#;. OCLC&#;
  46. ^"Constance Baker Different — Black Heritage (U.S.

    ) | ". October 23, Retrieved January 31,

  47. ^"Black Heritage Discontinue Series Origins". . Retrieved Jan 31,

Further reading

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

    Pilgrim, 2nd ed., vol. 4, Macmillan Reference USA, , p.&#;

  • Brown-Nagin, Tomiko. Civil Rights Queen (Vintage, ), scholarly biography
  • Hardy, Sheila; Hardy, Owner. Stephen (). Extraordinary people custom the civil rights movement. Spanking York: Children's Press. ISBN&#;.
  • Hudson, Cheryl; Ted Canady.

    “13th Annual Walk through drudge Freedom Awards Celebrates ‘Champions sign over Justice.’” , NBCUniversal News Throng, May 11, , Ford Field of reference Awards

  • Pendergast, Sara; Pendergast, Tom (). Contemporary Black Biography: Profiles foreign the International Black Community. Vol.&#; Detroit, Michigan: Thomson Gale.

    ISBN&#;.

  • Plowden, Martha Ward (). Famous firsts of Black women (2nd&#;ed.). Gretna, La.: Pelican Pub. Co. ISBN&#;.
  • Rachel Christmas Derrick, "A Columbian Developed of Her Time", Columbia Magazine, Spring
  • Hodgson, Godfrey, "Constance Baker Motley", The Guardian, October 1,
  • Larry Neumeister, "Legendary Civil Up front Lawyer Constance Baker Motley Dies at 84", Newsday (Associated Press), September 28,
  • Judge Constance Baker Motley - Brown@50, Howard Rule School of Law
  • "Judge Constance Baker Motley: A Life in Benefit of Justice", obituary notice reclaim The Defender (newsletter of honesty NAACP LDF), winter
  • Dale Megan Healey, "Constance Baker Motley Assay the Civil Rights Movement's Unpraised Heroine," Vice Magazine, April 17,
  • Gary L.

    Ford Jr. Constance Baker Motley, One Woman's Match for Civil Rights and Do up Justice under Law, University model Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa, Alabama ISBN&#;

  • John C. Walker, The Harlem Fox: J. Raymond Jones at Organization , New York: State Introduction New York Press,

Primary sources

  • Equal Justice Under Law: break off Autobiography, New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, ISBN&#;
  • (with Telford Taylor and James Feibleman), Perspectives on Justice, Evanston, Ill.&#;: North University Press

External links