Thread by @marinklevy

Coming to you fast is the final chapter in the story of Judge Florence Allen – including how she became . . .

✴️ The First Woman Appointed to an Article III Court and even shortlisted for the Supreme Court in the 1930s! ✴️

Part II of our epic ⚖️🧵 commences now . . .

So when we last left our heroine, Florence Allen had broken a whole lot of glass ceilings. 🔨

After becoming the 🥇 woman in the country to be elected to a court of general jurisdiction (the court of common pleas) . . .

she became the 🥇 woman elected to a State Supreme Court!

Florence served on the Supreme Court of Ohio for 11 years, earning a reputation for being a stellar jurist.🌟

As one commentator put it, Florence was "entitled to prominence" not because she was the 1st woman but "rather because of her unusually clear and up-to-date thinking.”👩‍⚖️

Now lest we think Florence’s life was completely charmed, our gal ran for the Senate in 1926 only to see the Democrats nominate one of her opponents. ☹️

Florence, never one to be deterred, responded by running as an independent . . . but sadly she still did not win the day. 😢

Still wanting a place in the political arena, 4 years later she ran for a seat in the House. (Not that 🏠)

And she had the support of Dems this time around. 😃

But . . . she still did not win. As RBG later wrote with Laura Brill, “legislative office lay beyond her grasp.” 🖐️

But our gal Florence was just down – not out. 🥊

In 1934, President FDR named Florence to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit❗️

This made Florence Allen not only the first woman appointed to a federal court of appeals, but also to an Article III court full stop ‼️

As a quick reminder, the first woman appointed to a United States District Court was Burnita Shelton Matthews, who wouldn't make it to the bench for 15 more years . . . 👩‍⚖️

https://twitter.com/marinklevy/status/1442280640695705601?s=20

Now you may be shocked – shocked 😲 – to learn that not all of Florence’s colleagues were thrilled to have a woman join their ranks . . .

But try this on for size – one 6th Cir. Judge was reportedly so unhappy about her appointment that he took to his sickbed for 2 whole days!🤯

Even once he was back on his feet, he and Florence’s other colleagues continued to dine at an all-male club . . . without poor Florence.🍽️☹️

But over time she won over her critics, and enjoyed 25 years on the court, even serving as Chief Judge of the Circuit in the late 1950s!☺️

But not every glass ceiling would be shattered by Florence...

Throughout this time, her name was mentioned again and again for consideration for a 🪑 on the Supreme Court.

Indeed, when potential Justices were listed for FDR's court-packing plan, Florence's was included! ✔️

President Truman came close to nominating Florence, but moved on after resistance from the Justices themselves.

The members of the Court apparently thought a woman would "inhibit their conference deliberations" as they decided cases with "shirt collars open" and shoes off! 👞

Despite - or perhaps because of - having her name surface so often for a Supreme Court seat, Florence said the appointment "will never happen to a woman while I am living."🙍‍♀️

And it didn't - Justice O'Connor was appointed to the Supreme Court 15 years after Florence died . . .

So she left one last glass ceiling for someone else.

But her career was full of so many 🥇, and the glass ceilings she broke along the way made it possible for another to reach the next one.🔨

It is hard to think of concluding with anything other than Florence’s own words . . .

Once again, as told by RBG, Florence said:

“When women of intelligence recognize their share in and their responsibility for the courts, a powerful moral backing is secured for the administration of justice.”

Amen, sister friend. 🙏

(fin)

P.S. For those who want to know more about Judge Allen, and other pathmarkers, I highly recommend "Women in the Federal Judiciary: Three Way Pavers and the Exhilarating Change President Carter Wrought" by
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg & Laura W. Brill (ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewconten…)

I also recommend the fabulous book "Shortlisted: Women in the Shadows of the Supreme Court" by @reneeknake & @hannahbrenner. ❤️

And the first part of Florence's story can be found here . . .

https://twitter.com/marinklevy/status/1449891470144589829?s=20