Burnita Shelton was born in Mississippi on December 28, 1894, to Burnell Shelton and Lora Drew (Barlow) Shelton. She grew up in a family that valued education and civic engagement. Despite her initial interest in pursuing a legal career, Burnita was encouraged by her father to study and teach music, which he believed was a more suitable profession for a woman. However, she remained determined to become a lawyer and pursued her dream by working during the day and attending law school at night.
1917, Burnita married Percy A. Matthews and moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked with the Veterans Administration. She took advantage of the opportunity to enroll in law school in the capital and graduated with multiple law degrees. Burnita's involvement with the National Woman’s Party (NWP) during law school led her to work on various legal projects to remove discrimination against women in state laws.
Following her successful legal career with the NWP, Burnita Matthews established herself as one of the leading lawyers in Washington. She later formed a law firm with two other female lawyers and continued her advocacy for women's rights through various professional organizations. In 1949, Matthews made history by becoming the first woman appointed to a federal trial court, where she presided over several notable trials during her twenty-eight-year tenure.
Burnita Shelton Matthews dedicated her life to advancing women's status through her legal expertise and activism. Her legacy as a trailblazer for women in the legal profession and as a champion for gender equality lives on, inspiring generations to come.
Sources:
August 2017, Kathanne W. “Burnita Shelton Matthews: Suffragist, Feminist, and Judicial Pioneer.” Burnita Shelton Matthews: Suffragist, Feminist, and Judicial Pioneer - 2017-08, www.mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/issue/burnita-shelton-matthews-suffragist-feminist-judicial-pioneer. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.