Trailblazing New Haven Native May Get Congressional Gold Medal

NEW HAVEN, CT — Rep. Rosa DeLauro has introduced a bill that would posthumously honor Constance Baker Motley, a New Haven native and America's first Black female federal judge, with a Congressional Gold Medal.

DeLauro introduced the legislation to the House of Representatives on Feb. 18 — a few months after what would have been Motley’s 100th birthday — to recognize what she described in the bill as Motley's "enduring contributions and service to the United States."

So far, 16 representatives have co-sponsored the bill, including Connecticut's Rep. Jim Himes.

Motley was born in New Haven on Sept. 14, 1921, according to the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame, of which she is a member.

She was inspired to become a lawyer after reading Abraham Lincoln's declaration that the legal profession is "the most challenging of vocations," and in 1966 was named to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, according to the Hall of Fame.

DeLauro announced the bill on Tuesday at the Dixwell Community House, which is located in the neighborhood where Motley grew up, Fox 61 reported.

"(She was) the first Black woman to attend Columbia University School of Law, the first Black woman to argue in front of the United States Supreme Court, the only female attorney on the legal team that won Brown vs Board of Education," DeLauro said during the announcement, as reported by Fox 61.

The Congressional Gold Medal is Congress' "highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions," according to the U.S. House of Representatives website.