who was the first female attorney general of the united states

by Mr. Jacinto Harvey V 8 min read

Janet Wood Reno (July 21, 1938 – November 7, 2016) was an American lawyer who served as the 78th United States attorney general from 1993 to 2001, the second-longest serving in that position, after William Wirt. A member of the Democratic Party, Reno was the first woman to hold that post.

Who was the first Attorney General of the United States?

Edmund Jennings Randolph
The Judiciary Act of 1789 establishes the Office of the Attorney General. The Judiciary Act of 1789 established the Office of the Attorney General. On September 26, 1789, Edmund Jennings Randolph was appointed the first Attorney General of the United States by President George Washington.

Which president appointed the first female attorney general?

Janet Reno became the first female attorney general when she was nominated to that position by President Clinton. Reno served as attorney general throughout Clinton's eight years in office, from 1993 to 2001.

Who was the female attorney general?

Janet Wood Reno (July 21, 1938 – November 7, 2016) was an American lawyer who served as the 78th United States attorney general from 1993 to 2001, the second-longest serving in that position, after William Wirt. A member of the Democratic Party, Reno was the first woman to hold that post.

Was Janet Reno a Democrat or Republican?

Image of Was Janet Reno a Democrat or Republican?
The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States. It was founded in 1828 by supporters of Andrew Jackson, making it the world's oldest active political party. Since the 1860s, its main political rival has been the Republican Party.
Wikipedia

Who was the first female solicitor general?

Elena Kagan (1986): First female Solicitor General of the United States (2009-2010). She later became a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

Who was the first African American female attorney general?

Pamela Carter: First African American female to serve as an Attorney General in the U.S. and Indiana (1993) Kamala Harris (1989): First Asian American female (and Asian American overall) elected as an Attorney General in the U.S. and California (2011-2017).

Who was the first African American woman to get a law degree?

Ada Kepley (1881): First woman to graduate with a law degree (1870) and practice in a court of law in the U.S. Charlotte E. Ray (1872): First African American female to earn a law degree in the U.S. Claudia L. Gordon (c. 2000): First deaf African American female to earn a law degree in the U.S.

How did Janet Reno die?

Janet Reno died at her home in Miami-Dade County, Florida on November 7, 2016, at the age of 78. The cause of her death was complications from Parkinson's disease, which she had battled since 1995.

What was Reno known for?

Despite this controversy, Reno became one of the most respected members of the Clinton administration in its first term, known for launching innovative programs designed to steer non-violent drug offenders away from jail and espousing the rights of criminal defendants.

Where was Janet Reno born?

Early Life and Career. Janet Reno was born in Miami, Florida on July 21, 1938. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Cornell University in 1960, she attended Harvard Law School. Reno graduated in 1963 and returned to her native Florida. After several years in private practice, Reno ran for county prosecutor for Dade County in ...

Where did Janet Reno go to law school?

After attending Cornell University for her undergraduate degree and Harvard Law School in 1960, Janet Reno worked as an attorney in Florida for several years. Her work in Florida as an attorney and as county prosecutor from 1978 to 1993 established Reno's stern and liberal reputation.

When did Reno order a raid on the Miami home?

Reno became involved in negotiations and when they stalled in April 2000 she ordered a raid on the U.S. relatives’ Miami home that would ultimately return the young refugee back to his father in Cuba. Her controversial intervention enraged the Cuban American community in Miami.

Who was the unabomber in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing?

Reno was also in charge during the Justice Department's prosecution of several high-profile cases including the convictions of Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman for his role in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols for their deadly bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City; and Ted Kaczynski, who became known as the “Unabomber” for a 17-year domestic terrorist campaign of mailing letter bombs.

Did Reno use tear gas?

Reno was called upon to help resolve the situation. Reno approved the use of tear gas to flush the Branch Davidians from their compound outside of Waco, Texas. Unfortunately, it did not go as planned; a fire erupted and more than 70 Davidians (including Koresh and at least 20 children) died during the event.

What did Reno do at Cornell?

As a Rhodes professor, she engaged the Cornell community across several disciplines. Reno participated in a symposium on “Rethinking the Criminalization of Youth” and lectured on the impact of the presidential election on violence against women in the U.S. She joined class discussions in the Department of Government, the Department of Policy Analysis and Management in the College of Human Ecology and in the ILR School. During a panel discussion sponsored by the Center for the Study of Inequality, Reno joined a debate on the assimilation of ethnic minorities, and she participated in a human development forum on children’s policy.

How did Janet Reno die?

Janet Reno ’60, who went from leading Cornell’s Women’s Student Government Association as a student to becoming the United States’ first female attorney general, died from complications of Parkinson’s disease Nov. 7. She was 78.

What did Reno do in her senior year?

In October 1959, her senior year, Reno so ught to end the “gracious living” at Balch and Sage halls’ dining rooms. This included mandatory waitress service, which meant higher dining hall costs for women. Undergraduate women had to sit in silence until they were formally adjourned from dinner.

What did Reno say at her convocation?

In her Convocation address, Reno said she was honored to speak. “It was 45 years ago that I arrived, at dawn, by myself at this great institution,” she said. “I saw some of the most beautiful places that will forever be stamped on my mind … I came to a new world.”

Who was Janet Reno?

Gretchen Ritter ’83, the Harold Tanner Dean of Arts and Sciences and professor of government, said: “Janet Reno was an extraordinary public servant – a person of immense integrity, competence and commitment. As the nation’s first female attorney general, she led the Department of Justice at a difficult time, and was both fair-minded and undaunted in her pursuit of terrorist cases in the 1990s. As a Cornell alumna, Reno was – like many of the women who preceded and followed her at Cornell – a talented striver and social pioneer, determined to make her contributions count in the arena where she could make the greatest difference.”

Who is Gerald Torres?

Gerald Torres, Cornell’s Jane M.G. Foster Professor of Law, served as deputy assistant attorney general under Reno. He was counsel to her on the environment and Native American issues.

When was Loretta Lynch confirmed?

Between 2003 and 2005, Loretta Lynch served as a board member at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Later, on 8thNovember, 2014, she was nominated to succeed Attorney Eric Holder. On 26thFebruary, 2015, the U.S. Senate’s Judicial Committee recommended Lynch’s confirmation by 12 against 8 votes; with three Republicans and all Democrats in her favor. Come 23rdApril, the same year, Loretta was confirmed, 56 against 43 votes, by the Senate, making beat records as the second woman, second African-American, and the first Black woman to be confirmed for this position. She was later sworn in on 27thApril, 2015 by the V. President Joe Biden.

Who was the first black woman to be appointed as Attorney General?

On this day, 21 st May 1959, a great African-American woman politician, full of charisma and leadership capabilities, Loretta Lynch, was born. Loretta Lynch , on 27 th April, 2015, entered the American historical records as the first black woman to be appointed as the U.S. Attorney General, under President Barack Obama’s administration. She was, however, serving as the 83 rd U.S. Attorney General, preceded by Attorney Eric Holder, and finally succeeded by Jeff Sessions (incumbent) of the ongoing President Trump’s administration, on 9 th February, 2017.

When was Lynch sworn in?

She was later sworn in on 27thApril, 2015 by the V. President Joe Biden. During her service at the Eastern District of New York as the U.S. Attorney, Lynch supervised the investigations on the senior FIFA officials from the early stages.

Who was born on May 21, 1959?

On this day, 21stMay 1959, a great African-American woman politician, full of charisma and leadership capabilities, Loretta Lynch, was born.

Why did Biden choose Kamala Harris as his running mate?

Because of her commitment to fighting injustice, her eloquence, and capabilities for leadership and governance , President-Elect Joseph R. Biden chose Harris as his running mate. This pick made Harris the fourth woman on a major party's national ticket and the second African American on a presidential ticket.

What committees did Harris serve on?

While in the Senate, Harris served on two powerful committees: the Intelligence Committee and the Judiciary Committee. As the committees dealt with important issues—such as the investigation into Russian influence and meddling in the 2016 election and judicial appointments to the Supreme Court—Harris became known as a sharp, aggressive questioner who could unnerve opposing witnesses.

Where was Kamala Harris born?

Kamala Harris has spent her life breaking glass ceilings. Born on October 20, 1964 in Oakland, California, Harris is the daughter of immigrants. Her father was born in Jamaica and her mother was born in India. After her parents divorced, Harris and her younger sister Maya were raised by their mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, a single parent.

Where did Kamala Harris go to law school?

She then received her law degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco and began her career in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office. In 2003, Harris was elected as the District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco.

Who was the first African American woman?

October 20, 1964 -. On January 20, 2021, Kamala D. Harris became the first woman, the first African American woman, the first Indian-American, the first person of Asian-American descent, and the first graduate of an HBCU to be sworn in as the Vice President of the United States of America. As she said in her election acceptance speech, she “may be ...

Did Kamala Harris win the Democratic primary?

In 2019, Harris launched her campaign for President of the United States. While she did not win the Democratic primary, she proved that she was capable of taking on an even larger leadership role in the United States. Because of her commitment to fighting injustice, her eloquence, and capabilities for leadership and governance, President-Elect Joseph R. Biden chose Harris as his running mate. This pick made Harris the fourth woman on a major party's national ticket and the second African American on a presidential ticket.

Who was the first African American woman to serve as California's Attorney General?

As a lawyer, Harris immediately began breaking glass ceilings. In 2010, Harris was elected as the first African American and first woman to serve as California's Attorney General. While Attorney General, she married lawyer Doug Emhoff and became stepmother to his two children.

Where was Kamala Harris born?

Kamala Harris was born in Oakland, CA on October 20, 1964. By the time she attended kindergarten, Harris was being bused to school as part of a desegregation program. Throughout her childhood, children in her neighborhood were permitted from playing with her and her sister because they were Black.

Where was Loretta Lynch born?

Loretta Lynch was born on May 21, 1959, in Greensboro, North Carolina. In 1981, Lynch earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and American literature from Harvard College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1984.

Where was Barbara Jordan born?

Barbara Jordan was born in Houston, Texas on February 21, 1936. Due to segregation, Jordan could not attend The University of Texas at Austin, and instead chose Texas Southern University, a historically-black institution. After majoring in political science, Jordan attended Boston University School of law in 1956 and graduated in 1959.

When was the first African American woman elected to the Senate?

Motley was elected to the New York State Senate in 1964, making her the first African-American woman to sit in the State Senate.

Who was the first female attorney in the NAACP?

After graduating from Columbia, Motley became the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund’s (LDF) first female attorney. Motley went on to become Associate Counsel to the LDF, making her a lead attorney in many significant civil rights cases.

Who was the first African American woman to be appointed as Attorney General?

In 2014, President Barack Obama nominated Lynch for the position of U.S. Attorney General, succeeding Eric Holder, making her the first African-American woman and second African-American (after Holder) to hold this office.

Where was Charlotte Ray born?

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 ...

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Overview

Firsts nationwide

• Ada Kepley (1881): First woman to graduate with a law degree (1870) and practice in a court of law in the U.S.
• Charlotte E. Ray (1872): First African American female to earn a law degree in the U.S.
• Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin: First Native American (Chippewa) female to earn a law degree in the U.S. (1914)

Firsts in individual states

• List of first women lawyers and judges in Alabama
• List of first women lawyers and judges in Alaska
• List of first women lawyers and judges in Arizona
• List of first women lawyers and judges in Arkansas

Firsts in Washington, D.C. (Federal District)

• List of first women lawyers and judges in Washington D.C. (Federal District)

Firsts in the Territories of the U.S.

• List of first women lawyers and judges in the Territories of the U.S.

See also

• Timeline of women lawyers in the United States
• Women in law

Other topics of interest

• List of first minority male lawyers and judges in the United States
• List of African American jurists [United States]
• List of Asian American jurists [United States]
• List of first women lawyers and judges by nationality [International]