New Haven native Constance Baker Motley was the first Black woman to be appointed as a federal judge in the United States and argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Motley won nine of her ten U.S. Supreme Court cases. The tenth was later overturned in her favor.
She is now being featured on the 47th U.S. Postal Service Black Heritage stamp.
Motley grew up in New Haven and was a James Hillhouse High School graduate.
Hundreds of civil rights activists and allies gathered Thursday evening with the Greater New Haven NAACP chapter and representatives from the U.S. Postal Service to celebrate Motley鈥檚 life and legacy.
There, Motley鈥檚 niece, Constance Royster, reflected on her childhood with Judge Motley, who she knew as Aunt Connie.
鈥淪he wasn鈥檛 just the judge, right? She wasn鈥檛 just the lawyer. She was also an aunt, a sister, a cousin, and she was very much a human being,鈥� Royster said. 鈥淏ut she was also a judge, and let鈥檚 not forget that.鈥�
The daughter of West Indies immigrants, Motley saw it as her duty to stand up for injustices, Royster said of her namesake. Royster also mirrored her profession after Motley, becoming a lawyer as well and a Yale University graduate.
鈥淏efore she was Constance Baker Motley, she was a staunch advocate for causes that were right,鈥� Royster said.
Motley authored the legal brief for the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, which ended segregation in schools across the country.
She was the second Black woman to graduate from .
Motley鈥檚 recognition is long overdue, Greater New Haven NAACP President Dori Dumas said.
鈥淲hen we first found out that the United States Postal Service had chosen her as the 47th Black Heritage Stamp we said, 鈥榃ell it鈥檚 about time,鈥欌�� Dumas said.
While Baker Motley鈥檚 honor is well-deserved, her pioneering civil rights work is still needed today, Dumas said.
鈥淎lthough we are grateful and we celebrate the life and legacy of Constance Baker Motley, let鈥檚 be very clear: the struggle continues and so does the work,鈥� Dumas said.
The is available on the U.S. Postal service website and in local post offices.
