As we wind down Women’s History month, the role women played in Supreme Court cases is pivotal in understanding the huge impact of women on the laws of this country. For centuries, women advanced the law in cases involving civil rights, women’s right, marriage equality, health care and a myriad of other issues. For all that remains to be done in the area of women’s rights, we have largely come from the second class status barring women from practicing professions, attending schools and marrying the person of their choosing without infringement of the government. Beginning in 1869, Myra Bradwell applied for admission to the Illinois bar in accordance with a state statute that permitted any adult of good character and with sufficient training to be admitted to the practice of law. Because she was a woman, however, the Illinois Supreme Court denied her admission, noting that the "strife" of the bar would surely destroy femininity. Chief Justice Charles B. Lawrence of the … [Read more...] about Women’s History Month and the Supreme Court
women's rights
International Women’s Day and Black Sheroes
International women’s day on March 8, 2018 is particularly special in light of the recent #MeToo and #TimesUP movements. As we celebrate international women’s day to commemorate the many generations of women who have advanced women’s rights, I wanted to highlight five African American women whom I admire for their strength, courage and fortitude. When I think of a woman who displayed enormous resilience and fortitude in unfathomable times. I can’t help but honor Harriet Tubman for her heroic and humanitarian efforts in advancing freedom for slaves. Born into slavery, she escaped in 1849 and later led hundreds of other slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad with help from abolitionists. Tubman devoted her entire life for racial equality and women’s rights. After slavery ended, she continued with efforts on suffrage for women. In honor of her life, the U.S. Treasury announced in 2016 that Tubman would replace Andrew Jackson in the center of the new $20 … [Read more...] about International Women’s Day and Black Sheroes