As we enter Black History Month, we celebrate and reflect on the Black-American individuals who served as pillars in the legal industry. This week, we are honoring Charlotte E. Ray, the first Black female lawyer in the United States. Charlotte’s perseverance and dedication paved the way for every women in law to follow.
Ray attended the Howard School of Law and was admitted to the District of Colombia Bar in 1872. She was the first woman to practice and argue in the District of Colombia Supreme Court, where she pleaded the case of Gadley v. Gadley (vt. Godling v. Godling), No. 4278, filed June 3, 1875.
Read more about Charlotte E. Ray here.
