Juanita Jackson Mitchell
Encyclopedia
Juanita Jackson Mitchell was born on January 2, 1913 in Hot Springs, Arkansas
, and was the first African American
woman to practice law in Maryland
. She was married to Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr.
and the mother of two Maryland State Senators
and the grandmother of a third.
, Mitchell attended Frederick Douglass High School
, Morgan State College
and graduated, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania
with a B.S. in education in 1931. Four years later she earned a M.A.
in sociology
from the University of Pennsylvania as well. In 1950 she became the first African American woman to graduate from the University of Maryland School of Law
, and the first admitted to the Maryland bar.
Mitchell was also recognized in the political arena for being a crusader and leader. She was named to the White House Conference on "Women and Civil Rights" by John F. Kennedy
and in 1966 she was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson
to the White House Conference “To Fulfill These Rights” which dealt with finding solutions concerning African Americans in relation to economic security, education and justice. In 1987 Mitchell was inducted, along with her mother, into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame. The NAACP has also recognized Juanita Jackson Mitchell for her accomplishments and has created a “Juanita Jackson Mitchell Award for Legal Activism” to honor her feats as a black woman in the legal field.
, who was known nationally for being a civil rights activist, being dubbed "the 101st Senator." She was the daughter of Dr. Lillie Jackson, who was also a major civil rights leader and who also was president of the NAACP Baltimore branch and was known as “Mother of Freedom.” Juanita Jackson Mitchell came from a long line of civil activists and continued the line. She was the mother of former state senators Michael B. Mitchell and Clarence M. Mitchell, III. Her grandson
, Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr.
, was a member of the Baltimore City Council
and ran for Mayor of Baltimore in 2007
. Juanita Mitchell was rendered a quadriplegic in November 1989 after falling down a flight of stairs. While undergoing therapy for that injury, she suffered a stroke, her second since 1985; she was 79. Juanita Jackson Mitchell died in Baltimore of a heart attack and stroke in July 1992
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...
, and was the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
woman to practice law in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. She was married to Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr.
Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr.
Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. was a civil rights activist and was the chief lobbyist for the NAACP for nearly 30 years. He also served as a regional director for the organization. Mitchell, nicknamed "the 101st U.S...
and the mother of two Maryland State Senators
Maryland State Senate
The Maryland Senate, sometimes referred to as the Maryland State Senate, is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland...
and the grandmother of a third.
Background
The daughter of Kieffer Albert Jackson and Dr. Lillie Mae Carroll JacksonLillie Mae Carroll Jackson
Lillie May Carroll Jackson , pioneer civil rights activist, organizer of the Baltimore Branch of the NAACP.Invariably known as "Dr...
, Mitchell attended Frederick Douglass High School
Frederick Douglass Senior High School (Baltimore, Maryland)
Frederick Douglass High School known locally as Douglass is a public high school located in Baltimore, Maryland, US. Established in 1883 as the Colored High and Training School, Douglass is the second oldest historically integrated public high school in the United States...
, Morgan State College
Morgan State University
Morgan State University, formerly Centenary Biblical Institute , Morgan College and Morgan State College , is a historically black college in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Morgan is Maryland's designated public urban university and the largest HBCU in the state of Maryland...
and graduated, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
with a B.S. in education in 1931. Four years later she earned a M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
from the University of Pennsylvania as well. In 1950 she became the first African American woman to graduate from the University of Maryland School of Law
University of Maryland School of Law
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law is the second-oldest law school in the United States by date of establishment and third-oldest by date of first classes. The school is located on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore in Downtown Baltimore's West Side...
, and the first admitted to the Maryland bar.
Career
In her earlier years, Mitchell traveled extensively throughout the U. S. for the Bureau of Negro Work and the Methodist church, speaking and teaching courses in race relations. From 1935 to 1938, she was special assistant to Walter White, NAACP Executive Secretary, serving as National Youth Director. There she organized and developed programs for the organization's Youth and College Division. Mitchell was the president of Maryland’s NAACP Baltimore City branch when she advocated for Baltimore school desegregation and after the case in 1954, Brown vs. Board of Education, she was a major campaigner for making Maryland the first southern state to have integration. She also filed many other cases to desegregate numerous other aspects of segregated life including restaurants, parks and swimming pools. Mitchell also ran voter registration drives in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s to help influence and rally African Americans in Baltimore to vote.Mitchell was also recognized in the political arena for being a crusader and leader. She was named to the White House Conference on "Women and Civil Rights" by John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and in 1966 she was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
to the White House Conference “To Fulfill These Rights” which dealt with finding solutions concerning African Americans in relation to economic security, education and justice. In 1987 Mitchell was inducted, along with her mother, into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame. The NAACP has also recognized Juanita Jackson Mitchell for her accomplishments and has created a “Juanita Jackson Mitchell Award for Legal Activism” to honor her feats as a black woman in the legal field.
Mitchell family
In 1938, Mitchell married Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr.Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr.
Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. was a civil rights activist and was the chief lobbyist for the NAACP for nearly 30 years. He also served as a regional director for the organization. Mitchell, nicknamed "the 101st U.S...
, who was known nationally for being a civil rights activist, being dubbed "the 101st Senator." She was the daughter of Dr. Lillie Jackson, who was also a major civil rights leader and who also was president of the NAACP Baltimore branch and was known as “Mother of Freedom.” Juanita Jackson Mitchell came from a long line of civil activists and continued the line. She was the mother of former state senators Michael B. Mitchell and Clarence M. Mitchell, III. Her grandson
Grandson
Grandson has multiple meanings:*Grandson *Grandson, Switzerland, a municipality in Switzerland*Grandson , a district in Switzerland...
, Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr.
Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr.
Keiffer Jackson Mitchell, Jr. is an American politician from Baltimore, Maryland who serves in the Maryland House of Delegates. He was a member of the Baltimore City Council and a candidate in the 2007 mayoral election.-Background:...
, was a member of the Baltimore City Council
Baltimore City Council
The Baltimore City Council is the legislative branch that governs the City of Baltimore and its nearly 700,000 citizens. Baltimore has fourteen single-member City Council districts and representatives are elected for a four-year term. To qualify for a position on the Council, a person must be...
and ran for Mayor of Baltimore in 2007
Baltimore mayoral election, 2007
The 2007 Baltimore mayoral election was held on November 6, 2007. Because Baltimore's electorate is overwhelmingly Democratic, Sheila Dixon's victory in the Democratic primary on September 11 all but assured her of victory in the general election, and she defeated Republican candidate Elbert...
. Juanita Mitchell was rendered a quadriplegic in November 1989 after falling down a flight of stairs. While undergoing therapy for that injury, she suffered a stroke, her second since 1985; she was 79. Juanita Jackson Mitchell died in Baltimore of a heart attack and stroke in July 1992