On April 23, 1872, Charlotte E. Ray made history by becoming the first African American woman licensed to practice law in the United States. A graduate of Howard University School of Law, she was also the first woman admitted to the D.C. Bar. Practicing in Washington, D.C., Ray specialized in commercial law and was widely respected for her legal acumen despite the barriers of race and gender in Reconstruction-era America. Her trailblazing achievement opened doors for future generations of Black women in the legal profession.
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