Juanita Kidd Stout facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Juanita Kidd Stout
Juanita Kidd Stout
Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
In office 1988–1989
Personal details
Born	March 7, 1919 Wewoka, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died	August 21, 1998 (aged 79) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Education	University of Iowa (BM) Indiana University (LLB, JD)

Juanita Kidd Stout (March 7, 1919 – August 21, 1998) was an important American lawyer and judge. She served on the highest court in Pennsylvania, called the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, from 1988 to 1989. Before that, she had her own law office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

After working as a prosecutor, she became a judge in 1959. This made her the first African-American woman to be a judge in Pennsylvania. When she was elected to the municipal court that same year, she became the first African-American woman elected to any judgeship in the United States. Later, when she joined the state's supreme court, she was the first African-American woman to serve on a state Supreme Court anywhere in the country.

Early Life and Education

Juanita Kidd was born in Wewoka, Oklahoma, on March 7, 1919. Her parents were both teachers. They taught in a time when schools were separated by race. Her mother taught her to work hard, which was a lesson she kept her whole life.

Juanita was a very smart child. She learned to read when she was only three years old. By age six, she was already in the third grade. She started college when she was just 16 years old.

She first went to Lincoln University (Missouri), a college for Black students. She then earned her bachelor's degree in music from the University of Iowa. After college, she went back to Oklahoma to teach music. She was also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.

During World War II, Juanita moved to Washington, D.C.. She worked at a law firm there. She found she was good at taking notes for legal work. This made her interested in studying law. She went on to earn two law degrees from Indiana University.

A Trailblazing Legal Career

In 1950, Juanita Kidd Stout moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was invited to work for William H. Hastie, a respected judge. She had worked with him before in Washington, D.C. A few years later, in 1954, she opened her own law practice.

She then joined the District Attorney's office. Here, she became known for winning many cases. She was also known for how carefully she prepared for each one.

In 1959, Juanita Stout was appointed as a municipal court judge. This was a big step, as she was the first African-American woman to be a judge in Pennsylvania. Later that year, she won the election for the position. This made her the first African-American woman in the United States to be elected as a judge. On November 15, 1959, she even appeared on the TV game show What's My Line?

She was later appointed to the Court of Common Pleas. In this role, she often handled serious cases, especially those involving homicides. In 1988, she was appointed to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. This made her the first African-American woman to serve on the supreme court of any state in the United States. She served for one year before she had to retire at age 70, as required by law.

Personal Life

Juanita Stout met her husband, Charles Otis Stout, while they were both studying law in Indiana. Her husband passed away in 1988. Juanita Kidd Stout herself died in Philadelphia in 1998.

Legacy and Honors

Juanita Kidd Stout left an important mark on history.

• In 1983, she was honored by being inducted into the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame.
• In 2012, a courthouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was renamed in her honor. It is now called the Justice Juanita Kidd Stout Center for Criminal Justice.

See also

• List of African-American jurists
• List of first women lawyers and judges in Pennsylvania