Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025

Key Points

• This bill proposes awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to Constance Baker Motley, a trailblazing civil rights lawyer and judge who passed away in 2005. This is one of the highest honors a civilian can receive from the United States government.
• Motley was a key figure in the civil rights movement, serving as the only female lawyer on the legal team that won the landmark case to end segregation in public schools. She also argued 10 cases before the Supreme Court, winning nine of them.
• The bill highlights her historic career as the first Black woman to serve as a federal judge, the first Black woman elected to the New York State Senate, and the first woman to serve as president of the Borough of Manhattan.
• If passed, the gold medal would be presented to her son and niece. The U.S. Treasury would also be allowed to sell bronze copies of the medal to the public to help pay for the costs of making the original gold version.

Impact Analysis

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