Kristen Clarke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kristen Clarke
United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division
In office May 25, 2021 – January 20, 2025
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Eric Dreiband
Succeeded by	Mac Warner (acting)
Personal details
Born	1975 (age 49–50)
Education	Harvard University (BA) Columbia University (JD)

Kristen M. Clarke (born 1975) is an American lawyer. She served as the assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division at the United States Department of Justice from 2021 to 2025. This division works to protect the rights of all people in the United States.

Before this role, Clarke was the president of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. She also led the Civil Rights Bureau for the New York State Attorney General's Office. In 2021, President Joe Biden chose Clarke to lead the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. The U.S. Senate approved her for the job on May 25, 2021. She made history as the first woman to lead this important division.

Early Life and School

Clarke's parents moved to Brooklyn from Jamaica. She often talks about growing up in a home that valued hard work and making the most of every chance. Clarke was part of Prep for Prep, a group that helps students of color attend private schools.

She went to Choate Rosemary Hall for high school. There, she was the only girl to join the boys' wrestling team.

Clarke earned her first degree from Harvard University. She was the president of the Black Students Association there. She graduated from Harvard in 1997. Then, she earned her law degree from Columbia Law School in 2000. After law school, she worked as a trial lawyer for the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.

Legal Career

In 2006, Clarke joined the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. She helped lead a group focused on voting rights and election law. In 2011, Clarke became the director of the civil rights bureau for the Attorney General of New York. She worked on issues like fairness in the justice system and housing discrimination. Her work helped reach agreements with stores about racial profiling. She also worked with police departments on policy changes.

In 2015, Clarke became president of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. One of her first tasks was leading Election Protection. This group works to protect voters' rights. The New York Times called her a top supporter of voting rights.

In 2019, Clarke helped Taylor Dumpson. Taylor was the first African American woman student body president at American University. She was targeted by online harassment. Clarke successfully argued that hateful online actions can stop people from using public places. She also won damages and a restraining order for Taylor.

In early 2020, Clarke shared her worries about the COVID-19 pandemic. She noted that African American communities were hit hardest. She also worried that racial bias might affect their access to healthcare. After the murder of George Floyd, Clarke said that the pandemic, job losses, and police unfairness created a "perfect storm" for social unrest.

Protecting Voting Rights

Clarke worked on a major voting rights case called Shelby County v. Holder. In 2020, she spoke to Congress about problems people face when trying to vote. She has supported the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. This law aims to make voting fairer. She also sued the United States Postal Service during the pandemic. This was because of delays with mail-in ballots. After John Lewis passed away, she asked for a new voting rights bill to honor him. She appeared in the 2020 film All In: The Fight for Democracy. In November 2020, LeBron James thanked her for helping his group, More Than a Vote.

Supporting LGBTQ+ Rights

In 2015, Clarke started an investigation into the Boy Scouts. She looked into their rule against openly gay adults. Her goal was to ensure equal protection for all New Yorkers. In July 2015, her office reached an agreement with the Boy Scouts of America. This agreement ended their policy of not allowing openly gay adults to be leaders. This change applied across the country.

Helping People with Disabilities

Clarke helped make agreements with bus companies, stores, movie theaters, and polling places. These agreements aimed to make sure these places were accessible for people with disabilities.

Upholding Religious Rights

Clarke also worked on cases involving religious rights. She helped employees at NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation. This is a large healthcare group. Her work made sure that employees' requests for religious reasons followed the law. She also reached similar agreements with Milrose Consulting.

Immigration Advocacy

She supported a legal effort for Cesar Vargas. He became the first undocumented immigrant to get a law license in New York. She also successfully sued the Trump administration. This was when they tried to end a protection for Liberian Americans.

Examining Community Impact

In 2005, she helped edit a book called Seeking Higher Ground. The book looked at how Hurricane Katrina affected communities. It also examined how government and other groups failed to help the Black community in New Orleans.

Fighting Discrimination Online

Clarke supported Facebook's decision to ban hate speech. This included stopping the promotion of white nationalism. Her efforts led to a temporary shutdown of the Stormfront website. This website promoted white supremacist views. She told Congress that white nationalism is a serious issue. She said it affects many lives and communities.

Addressing Hate-Motivated Actions

Clarke sued the Proud Boys. This was after they attacked the Metropolitan AME Church and other churches in Washington, D.C. A Black Lives Matter banner was taken from the church and burned. Clarke said that Black churches have a long history of being targeted by white supremacists. She said her lawsuit aimed to hold those responsible accountable. She leads the James Byrd Jr. Center to Stop Hate. She also worked to pass a federal law against lynching. She has stated that white nationalism is a serious concern for all Americans.

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Division

Nomination Process

On January 7, 2021, President Joe Biden chose Clarke to lead the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. Clarke said she would work to "turn the page on hate and close the door on discrimination."

Many groups supported Clarke's nomination. These included law enforcement groups and Jewish organizations. Justice Department alumni from both major political parties also supported her.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said Clarke's skills would help the Justice Department fight discrimination. This includes areas like housing, education, and jobs. During her hearing, some senators questioned her past statements about police funding. Clarke said she supports increasing police funding. She also wants to see more money for social services.

Her nomination was approved by the Senate on May 25, 2021.

Time in Office

In June 2021, it was reported that Clarke would join Vanita Gupta in suing the State of Georgia. This lawsuit was about the Election Integrity Act of 2021. This law changed voting rules in the state.

Awards and Honors

• 2010 Columbia Law School Paul Robeson Distinguished Alumni Award
• 2010 National Black Law Students Association Alumni of the Year
• 2011 National Bar Association Top 40 Under 40
• 2012 National Association of Attorneys General Best Brief Award
• 2015 New York Law Journal Rising Stars
• 2017 Choate Rosemary Hall Alumni Award
• 2017 Quinnipiac University School of Law Thurgood Marshall Award
• 2018 Louis L. Redding Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2019 The Root Most Influential Americans

See also

• Joe Biden Supreme Court candidates