African-American attorney, judge, and magistrate Violette Anderson was born July 16, 1882, in London, England, the daughter of Richard E. and Marie (Jordi) Neatley. When Anderson was young, the family moved to the United States, where she graduated from North Division High School in Chicago, Illinois, in 1899, and attended Chicago Athenaeum. Anderson was a Republican and an active Episcopalian. She worked as a court reporter from 1905 to 1920, which sparked her interest in law.Anderson furthered her schooling at the Chicago Seminar of Sciences from 1912 to 1915, and the Chicago Law School, where she earned her LL.B. in 1920. She began a private practice after graduation, and at that time was the first African-American woman to practice law in the U.S. District Court Eastern Division. From 1922 to 1923, she served as the first female city prosecutor in Chicago. After five years of practice before the high court of Illinois, Anderson was admitted to practice for the Supreme Court of the United States, becoming the first African-American woman to obtain this post.
Her admission set a precedent that allowed other Black women to do the same. Anderson also belonged to the Federal Colored Women's Clubs, was president of Friendly Big Sisters League of Chicago, First Vice-President of Cook County Bar Association, and secretary of Idlewild Lot Owners Association. In addition, she was a member of the executive board of the Chicago Council of Social Agencies. She was also the 8th Grand Basileus of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Because of her pride in them, she bequeathed her summer home in Idlewild to the organization. Her life is recognized by the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. every year in the month of April as "Violette Anderson Day." Violette Anderson died in 1937.
Reference:
Black Women in America An Historical Encyclopedia
Darlene Clark Hine, editor
Carlson Publishing Inc., Brooklyn, New York, 1993