Charlotte E. Ray was born in New York City on January 13, 1850. After graduating from college in 1869, Ray became a teacher at Howard University, where she would later register in the Law Department. In fear that she would not be admitted due to her gender, Ray registered as C.E. Ray.Charlotte Ray graduated from the Howard University School of Law on February 27, 1872, and was admitted to the District of Columbia Bar on March 2, 1872, making her the first black female attorney in the United States. She was also admitted as the first black female to practice in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia on April 23, 1872.Ray eventually stopped practicing because she was unable to maintain a steady client flow due to racial and sexist prejudice. She later moved back to New York and became a teacher in Brooklyn. It is also believed that she was active in the women’s suffrage movement and joined the National Association of Colored Woman.

Charlotte passed on January 4, 1911, in Woodside New York. She demonstrated African American women can excel in anything we set our minds to with hard work and dedication

Historic Firsts:

*First African-American female lawyer in the United States

*First female admitted to the District of Columbia Bar

*First female admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia

Source: www.lawpreview.barbri.com