Florence Victoria Lucas (October 10, 1915 – September 6, 1987) was an American lawyer and state official. She was president of the Jamaica, Queens branch of the NAACP in the 1950s and 1960s, and was Deputy Commissioner of the New York State Division of Human Rights from 1972 to 1975. She was the first Black woman elected to the Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church.
Florence V. Lucas
Florence V. Lucas, from a 1960 issue of The Crisis
In 1940, Lucas was the first Black woman from Queens admitted to the New York bar.[1][2][3] In 1941 she worked in the Office of Price Administration (OPA) in Washington, D.C.[4] After World War II she returned to New York and had a private law practice in Queens from 1954 to 1966. She was appointed to the state Human Rights Commission in 1966, and was deputy commissioner of the New York State Division of Human Rights from 1972[5][6] until she retired from government work in 1975.[7][8] In the late 1970s and 1980s she was a consultant on affirmative action programs.[2][9]
Lucas was active in the Queens County Women's Bar Association, the Urban League,[10] the National Conference of Christians and Jews,[11] and the National Council of Negro Women.[7] She was president of the Jamaica branch of the NAACP from 1953,[12][13][14] and held statewide offices in the organization as well.[15] In 1957, she ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the City Council.[16] She was director of the Samuel Huntington Community Center in South Jamaica.[1] She served on the board of trustees of Marymount Manhattan College, and received an honorary doctorate from Marymount Manhattan College in 1986.[17] She was the first Black woman elected to the Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church.[2][8]
Lucas enjoyed music as a hobby. She founded and directed a girls' choir at Brooks Memorial Methodist Church. In 1960, she and Arlein Ford Straw wrote "Two Songs for Freedom".[1][18]
Personal lifeedit
Lucas married twice. She had a son in the 1940s with her first husband. She died from cancer in September 1987, aged 71 years, at her home in the Rosedale neighborhood of Queens. She was survived by her second husband, D. Rex Edwards.[7]
Referencesedit
^ abcd"In the Community with Florence Lucas". The Crisis: 85–86. February 1960.
^ abcdBenkoe, Jeff (1987-09-09). "Florence Lucas, 71, Queens Lawyer". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). p. 39. Retrieved 2022-02-28 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Sojourner Truth Award to Go to Courageous Negro Woman". Hartford Courant. 1972-04-16. p. 142. Retrieved 2022-02-28 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Citizens to Honor Florence V. Lucas". The New York Age. 1960-01-30. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-02-28 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Speaker to Discuss Women and Society". Star-Gazette. 1973-05-10. p. 28. Retrieved 2022-02-28 – via Newspapers.com.
^ abc"Florence Lucas Dead at 71; Worked for Rights Division". The New York Times. 1987-09-09. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
^ ab"Lucas Will Be Women's Day Guest Speaker". Daily News. 1978-04-23. p. 680. Retrieved 2022-02-28 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Florence Lucas is Speaker". The Montclair Times. 1978-04-20. p. 17. Retrieved 2022-02-28 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Complete Plans for Annual Public Meeting of N.Y. Urban League; Drive Under Way". The New York Age. 1942-02-28. p. 4. Retrieved 2022-02-28 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Florence Lucas Gets Rights Job". Daily News. 1972-03-17. p. 76. Retrieved 2022-02-28 – via Newspapers.com.
^Current, Gloster B. (April 1959). "Women in the NAACP". The Crisis: 209.
^"What the Branches are Doing". The Crisis: 177. March 1958.
^"Florence Lucas is re-elected NAACP Prexy". The New York Age. 1958-01-25. p. 7. Retrieved 2022-02-28 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Woman Attorney to be Speaker". Courier-Post. 1969-10-21. p. 23. Retrieved 2022-02-28 – via Newspapers.com.
^Perry, Elisabeth Israels (2019-03-06). After the Vote: Feminist Politics in La Guardia's New York. Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-934186-3.
^"Marymount Manhattan: Volcker Sees Perilous Future". The New York Times. 1986-06-06. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
^"[Untitled item]". The Crisis: 487. December 1967.
External linksedit
Freda Bein Muldoon, Remembering Florence Victoria Lucas, Civil Rights Pioneer: An Authorized Biography (2021), a self-published biography by Lucas's daughter.
Florence V. Lucas, "Ending Discrimination: Positive Approaches for Government" The Catholic Lawyer 15(1969): 189–208.
January 01, 1970
florence, lucas, florence, victoria, lucas, october, 1915, september, 1987, american, lawyer, state, official, president, jamaica, queens, branch, naacp, 1950s, 1960s, deputy, commissioner, york, state, division, human, rights, from, 1972, 1975, first, black, . Florence Victoria Lucas October 10 1915 September 6 1987 was an American lawyer and state official She was president of the Jamaica Queens branch of the NAACP in the 1950s and 1960s and was Deputy Commissioner of the New York State Division of Human Rights from 1972 to 1975 She was the first Black woman elected to the Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church Florence V LucasFlorence V Lucas from a 1960 issue of The CrisisBornOctober 10 1915New York CityDiedSeptember 6 1987New York CityOccupation s Lawyer state official Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 References 5 External linksEarly life editLucas was born in New York City the daughter of Charles Lucas and Maybelle L Hunter Lucas She graduated from John Adams High School Hunter College and Brooklyn Law School in 1939 1 2 Career editIn 1940 Lucas was the first Black woman from Queens admitted to the New York bar 1 2 3 In 1941 she worked in the Office of Price Administration OPA in Washington D C 4 After World War II she returned to New York and had a private law practice in Queens from 1954 to 1966 She was appointed to the state Human Rights Commission in 1966 and was deputy commissioner of the New York State Division of Human Rights from 1972 5 6 until she retired from government work in 1975 7 8 In the late 1970s and 1980s she was a consultant on affirmative action programs 2 9 Lucas was active in the Queens County Women s Bar Association the Urban League 10 the National Conference of Christians and Jews 11 and the National Council of Negro Women 7 She was president of the Jamaica branch of the NAACP from 1953 12 13 14 and held statewide offices in the organization as well 15 In 1957 she ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the City Council 16 She was director of the Samuel Huntington Community Center in South Jamaica 1 She served on the board of trustees of Marymount Manhattan College and received an honorary doctorate from Marymount Manhattan College in 1986 17 She was the first Black woman elected to the Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church 2 8 Lucas enjoyed music as a hobby She founded and directed a girls choir at Brooks Memorial Methodist Church In 1960 she and Arlein Ford Straw wrote Two Songs for Freedom 1 18 Personal life editLucas married twice She had a son in the 1940s with her first husband She died from cancer in September 1987 aged 71 years at her home in the Rosedale neighborhood of Queens She was survived by her second husband D Rex Edwards 7 References edit a b c d In the Community with Florence Lucas The Crisis 85 86 February 1960 a b c d Benkoe Jeff 1987 09 09 Florence Lucas 71 Queens Lawyer Newsday Suffolk Edition p 39 Retrieved 2022 02 28 via Newspapers com Sojourner Truth Award to Go to Courageous Negro Woman Hartford Courant 1972 04 16 p 142 Retrieved 2022 02 28 via Newspapers com Citizens to Honor Florence V Lucas The New York Age 1960 01 30 p 9 Retrieved 2022 02 28 via Newspapers com First Woman Jet 9 May 11 1972 Speaker to Discuss Women and Society Star Gazette 1973 05 10 p 28 Retrieved 2022 02 28 via Newspapers com a b c Florence Lucas Dead at 71 Worked for Rights Division The New York Times 1987 09 09 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2022 02 28 a b Lucas Will Be Women s Day Guest Speaker Daily News 1978 04 23 p 680 Retrieved 2022 02 28 via Newspapers com Florence Lucas is Speaker The Montclair Times 1978 04 20 p 17 Retrieved 2022 02 28 via Newspapers com Complete Plans for Annual Public Meeting of N Y Urban League Drive Under Way The New York Age 1942 02 28 p 4 Retrieved 2022 02 28 via Newspapers com Florence Lucas Gets Rights Job Daily News 1972 03 17 p 76 Retrieved 2022 02 28 via Newspapers com Current Gloster B April 1959 Women in the NAACP The Crisis 209 What the Branches are Doing The Crisis 177 March 1958 Florence Lucas is re elected NAACP Prexy The New York Age 1958 01 25 p 7 Retrieved 2022 02 28 via Newspapers com Woman Attorney to be Speaker Courier Post 1969 10 21 p 23 Retrieved 2022 02 28 via Newspapers com Perry Elisabeth Israels 2019 03 06 After the Vote Feminist Politics in La Guardia s New York Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 934186 3 Marymount Manhattan Volcker Sees Perilous Future The New York Times 1986 06 06 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2022 02 28 Untitled item The Crisis 487 December 1967 External links editFreda Bein Muldoon Remembering Florence Victoria Lucas Civil Rights Pioneer An Authorized Biography 2021 a self published biography by Lucas s daughter Florence V Lucas Ending Discrimination Positive Approaches for Government The Catholic Lawyer 15 1969 189 208 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Florence V Lucas amp oldid 1194072846, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
