Maud McLure Kelly

Maud McClure Kelly in 1908

Maud McLure Kelly (July 10, 1887 – April 2, 1973)^[1] was an American lawyer, suffragist and historian. She was the first woman to practice law in the state of Alabama and worked for the Alabama Department of Archives and History after her retirement from law.

Biography

Maud McLure Kelly was born in 1887 in Oxford, Alabama, to Richard Bussey Kelly and Leona Bledsoe Kelly. Her father was a lawyer and both of her parents were strong supporters of the Democratic Party and the Confederacy. She graduated from the Noble Institute, a girls' school in Anniston, Alabama, in 1904, and moved with her family to Birmingham in 1905.^[1] In Birmingham, she began working as a stenographer in her father's office and, realizing her own interest in the legal profession, started to study law. She wrote the entrance exam for the University of Alabama School of Law in 1907 and was admitted as the school's second-ever female student.^[2] She graduated a year later as the third in her class and was admitted to the Alabama bar in October 1908,^[1] making her the first woman to practice law in the state.^[2]

Kelly established a practice in Birmingham in 1908 and worked on both civil and criminal cases. In 1914, having been nominated by William Jennings Bryan,^[1] she became the first Southern woman admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States.^[3] She relocated to Washington, D.C., in 1919 to work as a federal attorney for the Department of the Interior, and returned to her practice in Birmingham in 1924. She closed the practice and ended her legal work in 1931.^[1]

Kelly was also involved in the women's suffrage movement, serving as chairman on the legislative committees of both the Birmingham and Alabama Equal Suffrage Associations. She was a devoted Baptist and member of the Democratic Party;^[3] she worked for Democrat Al Smith's presidential campaign in 1928 and hosted the Alabama delegation of the 1932 Democratic National Convention. After retiring from law, she worked as an archivist and historian. She was hired by the Alabama Department of Archives and History in 1943 as an acquisitions agent, inspector of county records, and editor of the Alabama Historical Quarterly journal. She retired in 1956 and worked in genealogy until her death in 1973.^[1]

Legacy

Kelly was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Alabama Lawyers' Hall of Fame in 2014.^[2]^[4] An award given by the Alabama State Bar to influential women attorneys is named in Kelly's honor.^[5]

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 Pruitt, Paul McWhorter, Jr. (March 13, 2007). "Maud McLure Kelly". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
1 2 3 "Maud McLure Kelly (1887–1973)". Alabama Women's Hall of Fame. 2000. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
1 2 Flynt, Wayne (1998). Alabama Baptists: Southern Baptists in the Heart of Dixie. University of Alabama Press. p. 298. ISBN 978-0-8173-0927-5.
↑ "5 inducted into Alabama Lawyer's Hall of Fame". WSFA. May 3, 2014. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
↑ "Awards + Recognitions". Alabama State Bar. Retrieved February 29, 2016.

Alabama Women's Hall of Fame
1970s	1971 Farmer, HallieHallie Farmer Keller, Helen AdamsHelen Adams Keller Tutwiler, Julia StrudwickJulia Strudwick Tutwiler 1972 Harris, Agnes EllenAgnes Ellen Harris Washington, Margaret MurrayMargaret Murray Washington 1973 Mitchell, Edwina DonnellyEdwina Donnelly Mitchell Wallace, Lurleen BurnsLurleen Burns Wallace 1974 Gibbs, HenriettaHenrietta Gibbs Tunstall, Loraine BedsoleLoraine Bedsole Tunstall 1975 Graves, Dixie BibbDixie Bibb Graves Owen, Marie BankheadMarie Bankhead Owen 1976 Berrey, Ruth RobertsonRuth Robertson Berrey Price, Annie LolaAnnie Lola Price 1977 Gorgas, Amelia GayleAmelia Gayle Gorgas Wilson, Augusta Jane EvansAugusta Jane Evans Wilson 1978 Daugette, Annie Rowan ForneyAnnie Rowan Forney Daugette Jacobs, Patti RuffnerPatti Ruffner Jacobs 1979 Brooke, MyrtleMyrtle Brooke Tuggle, Carrie A.Carrie A. Tuggle
1980s	1980 Mallory, Kathleen MooreKathleen Moore Mallory Tartt, Ruby PickensRuby Pickens Tartt 1981 Bankhead, TallulahTallulah Bankhead Johnston, ElizabethElizabeth Johnston 1982 Moynahan, ChrysostomChrysostom Moynahan Dunn, Loula FriendLoula Friend Dunn 1983 Bilbro, Anne MathildeAnne Mathilde Bilbro Parrish, Clara WeaverClara Weaver Parrish 1984 Warner, Mildred WesterveltMildred Westervelt Warner White-Spunner, KatherineKatherine White-Spunner 1985 Dean, Blanche EvansBlanche Evans Dean Vickery, KatherineKatherine Vickery 1986 Thomas, Chamintney StovallChamintney Stovall Thomas Young, Martha StrudwickMartha Strudwick Young 1987 Crosby, Elizabeth CarolineElizabeth Caroline Crosby Warren, LellaLella Warren 1988 Cater, Katherine CooperKatherine Cooper Cater Thompson, Mary Elizabeth PhillipsMary Elizabeth Phillips Thompson 1989 Bristow, GwenGwen Bristow Mercer, GenevaGeneva Mercer
1990s	1990 Kelly, Maud McLureMaud McLure Kelly Le Vert, Octavia WaltonOctavia Walton Le Vert 1991 Praytor, Frances VirginiaFrances Virginia Praytor Praytor, Anna LintonAnna Linton Praytor Barron, Julia TarrantJulia Tarrant Barron 1992 Bellingrath, Bessie MorseBessie Morse Bellingrath Smith, Frances Scott FitzgeraldFrances Scott Fitzgerald Smith Fitzgerald, Zelda SayreZelda Sayre Fitzgerald 1993 Mathis, Ida Elizabeth BrandonIda Elizabeth Brandon Mathis Waite, Mary George JordanMary George Jordan Waite 1994 Bender, Doris MarieDoris Marie Bender Howell, LotticeLottice Howell 1995–1996 Bashinsky, Elizabeth BurfordElizabeth Burford Bashinsky Lindsay, Maude McKnightMaude McKnight Lindsay 1997 Wilkins, Hattie HookerHattie Hooker Wilkins Spidle, Marion WalkerMarion Walker Spidle 1998 Crawford, Martha FosterMartha Foster Crawford Weeden, Maria HowardMaria Howard Weeden 1999 Booth, Margaret H.Margaret H. Booth Hopkins, Juliet OpieJuliet Opie Hopkins
2000s	2000 Bateman, Florence GolsonFlorence Golson Bateman Fearing, MariaMaria Fearing 2001 Moffett, Ida VinesIda Vines Moffett Pool, Sibyl MurphreeSibyl Murphree Pool 2002 Childs, Idella JonesIdella Jones Childs Katz, Jane LobmanJane Lobman Katz 2003 Branscomb, LouiseLouise Branscomb Walcott, Bess BoldenBess Bolden Walcott 2004 Crews, Nancy BatsonNancy Batson Crews Gerhardt, RosaRosa Gerhardt 2005 Hall, VeraVera Hall Morgan, Juliette HamptonJuliette Hampton Morgan 2006 Durr, Virginia FosterVirginia Foster Durr Weatherly, Mary Celesta JohnsonMary Celesta Johnson Weatherly 2007 McKee, FranFran McKee Myers, Martha CrystalMartha Crystal Myers 2008 Parks, Rosa McCauleyRosa McCauley Parks 2009 King, Coretta ScottCoretta Scott King
2010s	2010 Burks, Mary IvyMary Ivy Burks Smith, Margaret CharlesMargaret Charles Smith 2011 Anderson, Evelyn DanielEvelyn Daniel Anderson Stovall, Ada RuthAda Ruth Stovall 2012 Nina Miglionico 2013 Frances C. Roberts 2014 Hazel Mansell Gore 2015 Kathryn Tucker Windham 2016 Anne Mae Beddow Sarah Haynsworth Gayle

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 55865472 LCCN: n95087590

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