Through her storied career, Constance Baker Motley left an indelible mark, advancing civil rights in the United States, improving countless lives through her work on desegregation and equity — and breaking numerous professional barriers in the process. Motley was the first Black woman to be elected to the New York State Senate, serve as President of the Borough of Manhattan, be appointed to a federal judgeship, and act as Chief Judge for the Southern District of New York. Her impact is still felt throughout the country today, as her unrelenting work dismantled hurdles to educational, employment, and socioeconomic equality for Black people. This paved the way for future generations to more fully realize their civil rights, unencumbered by racial discrimination.
While Motley’s work made her a national public figure, her legacy is also deeply woven into the fabric of the Legal Defense Fund (LDF), where she worked for over 20 years. As a Black women-led national civil rights law organization, LDF continues to serve as a trailblazer in the ongoing fight to protect civil rights and advance racial justice and equality. For the individuals who carry out this work, Motley’s enduring legacy and example resonate deeply.
Indeed, in reflecting on her life, it is clear how powerfully Motley lives on. From the trailblazing women of LDF who have been strengthened by her example as they carve their own unique paths and make their own contributions to history, to the generations of Black people in the United States whose lives she impacted through her courage, determination, and transformative civil rights work, Motley’s impact reverberates profoundly.
In honor of Motley’s myriad contributions, LDF women attorneys and future litigators took a moment to share how she has inspired them in their professional paths, approach to civil rights work, and future aspirations — highlighting just how powerfully Motley’s presence is still felt decades after she completed her LDF tenure.