U.S. Census Bureau Black History Month Feature for February 14

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily Black History Month feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14: BLACK LAWYERS

Profile America for the 14th day of Black History Month.  The highest recognition of a lawyer's abilities is to be admitted to the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court.  The first African-American to achieve that honor was John Rock, admitted to practice before the highest court in 1865.  Rock was an M.D. who practiced both medicine and dentistry, as well as an attorney.  Active in the abolitionist movement, he died at the age of 41, just a year after being admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court.  The first African-American woman lawyer admitted to practice before the Supreme Court was Violette Anderson of Chicago, who was admitted in 1926.  Today in the U.S., there are just over 1 million lawyers, 31.5 percent of them female, and more than 4 percent African-American.  This special edition of Profile America is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau. 

Sources:  African American Registry
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 616

Profile America Special Edition:  Black History Month  2012  is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button). 

CONTACT:  Rick Reed of the U.S. Census Bureau, +1-301-763-2812, fax: +1-301-763-3762, richard.thomas.reed-at-census.gov

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau