Tom Bradley was a lawyer and police officer who became the first African-American mayor of Los Angeles, serving from 1973 to 1993.
1917-1998
Ron Brown was a lawyer and Democratic politician who served as commerce secretary under the administration of President Bill Clinton.
1941-1996
Mary Ann Shadd Cary was an active abolitionist and the first female African-American newspaper editor in North America.
1823-1893
1937-2005
1939-
1963-
1925-2010
Charles H. Houston was an attorney and vice-dean who worked in important civil rights cases, ultimately helping to end Jim Crow laws.
1895-1950
1938-2003
Star Jones is a lawyer and television personality best known for co-hosting ABC's The View from 1997 until 2006.
1962-
1935-
Thurgood Marshall was instrumental in ending legal segregation and became the first African-American justice of the Supreme Court.
1908-1993
Lesra Martin is a writer, lawyer and motivational speaker known for his efforts to free wrongly accused Rubin Carter.
1963-
Constance Baker Motley was a legal advocate in the Civil Rights Movement. She became the first female African-American federal judge in 1966.
1921-2005
Barack Obama is the 44th and current president of the United States, and the first African American to serve as U.S. president. First elected to the presidency in 2008, he won a second term in 2012.
1961-
Michelle Obama is a lawyer, Chicago city administrator and community outreach worker, as well as the wife of U.S. President Barack Obama and the 44th first lady.
1964-
1948-
Charlotte E. Ray was the first female African-American lawyer in the United States.
1850-1911
Paul Robeson was an acclaimed 20th century performer known for productions like The Emperor Jones and Othello. He was also an international activist.
1898-1976
1927-1996
Percy Sutton was a Freedom Rider, civil rights activist and prominent African-American lawyer best known for representing Malcolm X.
1920-2009
Clarence Thomas is the second African-American justice to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. He was appointed in 1991 and leans conservative.
1948-
1849-1891