Honoring Judge Constance Baker Motley

HONORING JUDGE CONSTANCE BAKER MOTLEY -- (Senate - September 29, 2005)

Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I rise to honor and celebrate the remarkable life and legacy of Judge Constance Baker Motley, a trailblazer for civil rights who dedicated her life to advancing the American values of justice and equality for all.

Judge Motley was born and raised in New Haven, CT at a time when women and minorities were denied the right to an equal education, and employment, housing and voting rights. Despite remarkable odds, Judge Motley decided at the age of 15 that she would be an attorney. Although she was discouraged by many, Judge Motley remarked that she was ``the kind of person who would not be put down.''

Judge Motley graduated from Columbia Law School in 1946 and joined the legal staff of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. It was there that for nearly 20 years, Judge Motley orchestrated the legal challenge to the ``separate but equal doctrine,'' culminating in the Supreme Court victory in Brown v. Board of Education that guaranteed equal educational opportunities for all Americans. In addition to the seminal decision in Brown, Judge Motley argued the 1957 school desegregation case in Little Rock, AR that led President Eisenhower to call in federal troops to protect nine black students at Central High School. During Judge Motley's tenure at the NAACP, she successfully argued numerous cases desegregating restaurants and recreational facilities in Southern cities and cases overturning the convictions of the Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth and countless others who engaged in nonviolent sit-ins and protests of discriminatory practices.

In 1965, Judge Motley became the first woman to be elected president of the Borough of Manhattan where she continued to advocate for the rights of women, minorities and the poor. In 1966, President Johnson appointed Judge Motley to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. With her appointment, Judge Motley became the first African-American woman appointed to the Federal judiciary, where she served until 1986 when she assumed senior status.

Judge Motley's dedication and commitment to justice and equality changed our Nation for the better and paved the way for women, minorities and the poor to enjoy the rights and privileges guaranteed by our constitution. Judge Motley stood tall in the face of great adversary for what was right. We all stand taller because of her life and because she was the kind of person who would not be put down.

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