Jewell S LaFontant

First Female Appointed As Deputy US Solicitor General

In 1946 Jewel S LaFontant became the first African-American woman to graduate from the University of Chicago Law School.

In 1955, she became the first African-American woman to serve as assistant US attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

Then in 1973, she was the first woman to be appointed Deputy US Solicitor General.

Throughout the 1980s, Lafontant continued to evolve in her leadership. Under George H. W. Bush, she became US Ambassador-at-large and US Coordinator for Refugee Affairs, a role that had her traveling all over the world. She also served as the Vice Chairperson of the US Advisory Commission on International, Educational, and Cultural Affairs.