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On September 18, 2009, Quinnipiac University School of law and Yale Law School are co-sponsoring a symposium for Constance Baker Motley, a pioneer who was the first African American student to attend the University Mississippi and the first black woman to be elected to the New York State Senate where she had many accomplishments including, introducing and supporting legislation to establish much needed low and middle income houses in New York's urban areas.

The event will be held at Quinnipiac University campus in Hamden, Connecticut from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Prominent scholars, lawyers, judges and other professionals including, Drew Days II, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Vernon E. Jordan Jr., Juan Williams and many more are scheduled to appear at the free event.

Constance Baker Motley was born in New Haven, Connecticut to West Indian parents from Nevis.

She was the civil rights lawyer who wrote the original complaint in the case of Brown v. Board of Education and the first African-American woman ever to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court in Meredith v. Fair.

Ms. Motley argued ten cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and won nine, however, the tenth was eventually overturned in her favor.

In 1964, she was elected to the New York State Senate and in 1965; she became Manhattan Borough President. She was the first African American woman to hold both positions.

In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson named her a federal court judge, the first African American woman so named, where she continued until her death in 2005.

To hear more about Ms. Motley's work and contributions as a lawyer and pioneer of civil rights contact the university @ 203-582-8200