Anne Elise Thompson facts for kids

Anne Elise Thompson (born July 8, 1934) is a very important judge in the United States. She is a senior United States district judge for the state of New Jersey. This means she works for the federal government and helps make big decisions in court cases.

Judge Thompson made history in New Jersey. She was the first woman and the first African American person to become a federal judge in the state.

Early Life and Family

Anne Elise Jenkins was born on July 8, 1934. Her parents were Leroy H. Jenkins and Mary E. Jackson. Her father was a dentist. Her mother came from a town called Wilson, North Carolina. This town was known for its strict separation of people based on race.

Education and Early Career

Anne Thompson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She worked hard in school. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University in 1955. Later, she received a Master of Arts from Temple University in 1957. She then studied law and earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from Howard University School of Law in 1964.

After finishing her studies, she started her career in law.

• From 1964 to 1965, she worked as a lawyer for the United States Department of Labor in Chicago.
• She helped write grants for United Progress, Inc. from 1966 to 1967.
• From 1967 to 1970, she was a public defender in Trenton, New Jersey. This means she helped people who could not afford a lawyer.
• She became a prosecutor for Lawrence Township from 1970 to 1972. A prosecutor is a lawyer who tries to prove that someone broke the law.
• From 1972 to 1975, she served as a judge for the City of Trenton's municipal court.
• She then became the prosecutor for Mercer County, New Jersey, from 1975 to 1979.

Becoming a Federal Judge

On September 28, 1979, President Jimmy Carter chose Anne Thompson to be a federal judge. This was for a new judge position created in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. The United States Senate approved her nomination on October 31, 1979. She officially became a judge on November 2, 1979.

Judge Thompson was the first woman to serve as a federal district court judge in New Jersey. She was also the first African American federal judge in the state. She served as the Chief Judge for the court from 1994 to 2001. On June 1, 2001, she took on "senior status". This means she still works as a judge but has a lighter workload.

See Also

• List of African-American federal judges
• List of African-American jurists
• List of first women lawyers and judges in New Jersey