Mabel Watson Raimey

Mabel Watson Raimey
A young fair-skinned Black woman wearing a mortarboard academic cap
Mabel Watson Raimey, from a 1918 publication
BornDecember 12, 1895
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
DiedDecember 1, 1986
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
OccupationLawyer

Mabel Watson Raimey (December 12, 1895 – December 1, 1986) was Wisconsin’s first African American female lawyer.[1][2][3]

Raimey was born on December 12, 1895, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Anthony and Nellie Raimey. Since she was light-skinned, there were instances in which Raimey (whether intentional or not) was able to pass in Wisconsin.[4] She was the first African American female to earn a bachelor's degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1918.

Raimey initially worked as an educator for the Milwaukee school district until it was discovered that she had Black ancestry. She was fired thereafter and, while working as a legal secretary, Raimey decided to attend an evening law program offered by Marquette University Law School. Unfortunately, the program dissipated by 1924. Nevertheless, in 1927, Raimey became the first African American female admitted to practice law in Wisconsin.[5][6][7] Due to few employment opportunities, Raimey continued to work as a legal secretary until she finally got the opportunity to open her own law practice. She abruptly had to retire in 1972 due to illness.[8]

She died in her hometown on December 1, 1986.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Mabel Watson Raimey [Middle name should be Watson – Efforts to correct". Wisconsin Historical Society. 2017-08-08. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  2. ^ "Mabel Raimey | Encyclopedia of Milwaukee". Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  3. ^ Reid-Merritt, Patricia (2018-12-07). A State-by-State History of Race and Racism in the United States [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781440856013.
  4. ^ a b "Mabel Watson Raimey". Wisconsin Women Making History. 2018-10-26. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  5. ^ Smith, John Clay (1999). Emancipation: The Making of the Black Lawyer, 1844-1944. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 9780812216851.
  6. ^ "Ask Abe: First Students of Color". Wisconsin Alumni Association. 2019-02-07. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  7. ^ "Mabel Watson Raimey – Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog". 5 August 2012. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  8. ^ "When perseverance is the only option: Mabel Watson Raimey". news.wisc.edu. Retrieved 2019-08-30.