Happy Friday to all and to day eleven of BHM 2011. Today we are focusing on a black first in the law. I hope you all enjoy. Also, thank you for all of the supportive email responses and encouragement. It is very nice to know that the information is useful and interesting to everyone!
Gertrude E. Durden Rush (1880-1962) was the first black woman admitted to the Iowa bar (1918). From the beginning of her practice until the 1950s, she was the only black woman to practice law in Iowa. She was also a co-founder of the National Bar Association. Rush was born in Navasota, Texas, and graduated from Des Moines College in 1914. In that year as well, she completed her law training by correspondence at LaSalle Extension University. In 1919 Rush graduated from Quincy Business College. She was active with women’s groups, particularly the Iowa Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs and the National Baptist Women’s Convention. She founded the Charity League in 1912, whose primary concern was with the welfare of blacks in Des Moines. In 1924 she served as attorney for the Women’s Auxiliary of the National Baptist Convention.
Carney Smith, Jessie. Black Firsts: Groundbreaking Events in African American History. New York: Fall River Press, 2009.
For more information about Gertrude Rush and the NBA please follow the links below:
http://www.nationalbar.org/about/index.shtml
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fruge
http://www.styleupri.org/EAPD_2ndQtr2010.pdf
http://www.ianationalbar.com/nba.html
Notable Black Women (book)
Also, there is an event coming up to celebrate the history of African-American businesses in Iowa. Thank you to my cousin for the information. Check it out here if you are interested: http://www.iowalifechanging.com/Documents/documents.aspx?id=3
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