Eunice Carter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eunice Carter
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Eunice Roberta Hunton
July 16, 1899 Atlanta, Georgia, US
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| Died | January 25, 1970 (aged 70) New York City, US
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| Employer | Manhattan District Attorney |
| Known for | Prosecution of mobster Charlie "Lucky" Luciano |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Lisle Carter Sr. |
| Children | Lisle C. Carter |
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Eunice Roberta Hunton Carter (born July 16, 1899 – died January 25, 1970) was an American lawyer. She was a very important figure in legal history.
Eunice Carter was one of the first African-American women to become a lawyer in New York. She was also one of the first African-American prosecutors in the United States. A prosecutor is a lawyer who works for the government to bring criminals to justice.
She was active in international groups like the Pan-African Congress. She also worked with United Nations committees. Her goal was to improve the lives and status of women around the world.
Eunice Carter led a big investigation into organized crime. She built the case and strategy that helped New York District Attorney Thomas Dewey successfully charge a powerful mob boss named Charles "Lucky" Luciano.
Early Life and Education
Eunice Carter was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1899. Her parents were William Alphaeus Hunton Sr. and Addie Waites Hunton. Both of her parents had gone to college. Her father founded the black division of the YMCA. Her mother was a social worker.
Eunice's grandfather, Stanton Hunton, bought his freedom from slavery before the American Civil War. Her brother, W. Alphaeus Hunton Jr., was an author and activist. He worked to promote Pan-African identity, which is about connecting people of African descent worldwide.
After the 1906 Atlanta race riot, her family moved to Brooklyn, New York. They attended local schools there. Her mother, Addie Hunton, was very active with the NAACP and the YMCA. She even went to France during World War I to check on black American soldiers.
Eunice went to Smith College in Massachusetts. She earned a bachelor's degree and a Master of Social Work degree in 1921. After working as a social worker for a short time, she decided to study law.
In 1932, Eunice Carter made history. She became the first black woman to earn a law degree from Fordham University in New York City. In 1933, she passed the New York bar exam, which allowed her to practice law. Smith College gave her an honorary law degree in 1938.
Career as a Lawyer and Activist
Eunice Carter quickly built a career in both law and international affairs. In 1935, she became the first black woman assistant district attorney in New York state. This was a very important job.
She convinced New York District Attorney Thomas Dewey to personally handle a major case. This case was against Charles "Lucky" Luciano, a very powerful organized crime figure. Carter's work helped convict Luciano, and he was sent to prison for ten years. After that, he was sent out of the country.
This conviction was a huge moment in legal history. It was one of the first times a major organized crime leader was convicted for serious crimes. The case made Thomas Dewey famous. He later became the governor of New York. He also ran for president twice. Dewey respected Carter's skills as a prosecutor. She often joined him at political events and gave him advice.
Beyond her legal work, Eunice Carter was active in the Pan-African Congress in the 1920s. Later, she became involved with the United Nations. She served on committees that worked to improve the status of women worldwide. She also served on the Executive Committee of the International Council of Women. This organization had representatives from 37 countries. Additionally, she was on the board of the Y.W.C.A.
Marriage and Family Life
Eunice Hunton married Lisle Carter Sr. He was one of the first African-American dentists in New York. They lived in Harlem, a neighborhood in Manhattan, for many years.
They had one child, Lisle Carter Jr.. He also became a lawyer. He later worked for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.
Lisle Carter Jr. had five children. One of them is Stephen L. Carter, who is an author and a law professor at Yale Law. In 2018, Stephen L. Carter wrote a book about his grandmother, Eunice Carter. The book is called Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America’s Most Powerful Mobster.
See also
In Spanish: Eunice Carter para niños
