July 16, 1882, Violette Neatley Anderson, the first African American woman to practice before the United States Supreme Court, was born in London, England, but raised in Chicago, Illinois. Anderson worked as a court reporter from 1905 to 1920 and this sparked her interest in the law. In 1920, Anderson earned her Bachelor of Laws degree from the Chicago Law School and from 1922 to 1923 she served as the first female city prosecutor in Chicago. On January 29, 1926, Anderson was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the first African American woman to attain that status. In addition to her legal practice, Anderson was the first vice president of the Cook County Bar Association and was a member of the executive board of the Chicago Council of Social Agencies. She was also the eighth Grand Basileus of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Anderson died in 1937.
