Constance Baker Motley

Constance Baker Motley was a pioneering American jurist, civil rights leader, and politician. She was the first African American woman appointed as a federal judge, serving on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. A key strategist in the civil rights movement, she worked with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund for over 20 years, argued 10 landmark Supreme Court cases. Motley also became Manhattan's Borough President, focusing on Harlem's revitalization.