Law and Order: 7 Black Female Lawyers and Judges Who Shaped the Legal Landscape
Lucy Terry Prince
Lucy Terry Prince is remembered by many historians as the first black woman to compose a poem. However, her contributions extend far beyond poetry. Kidnapped from her native Africa, Prince was sold into slavery in the United States, and in 1756, she married a wealthy free man who purchased her freedom. In 1785, when neighboring whites threatened her family, Prince successfully petitioned the Vermont governor and state court for protection. On another occasion, when a neighbor tried to steal the family’s land, she argued before the Supreme Court against two of the state’s prominent lawyers – one of whom would later become the state’s chief justice – and won the case. This marked the first time that a black woman had ever presented oral arguments before the Supreme Court.
