Elreta Alexander-Ralston

Elreta Alexander-Ralston (née Melton; March 19, 1919 – March 14, 1998) was a mid-20th century black female American lawyer and judge in North Carolina at a time when there were only a handful of practicing female or black lawyers in that state. With an unusual career as a trial attorney and North Carolina District Court Judge, she has been noted for her “refusal to allow the circumstances of her birth, the realities of her time, and the limitations imposed by others define her destiny.”[1] However, notwithstanding her accomplishments, Judge Alexander's legacy has remained largely unrecognized and her story untold. This confirms the notion that black women lawyers have received minimal universal recognition for their accomplishments and contributions to the legal profession.

  1. ^ Patricia Timmons-Goodson, “Darlin', The Truth Will Set You Free” – A Tribute to Judge Elreta Melton Alexander, 4 ELON L. REV. 151 (2012)