The Plexiglass Ceiling: The Careers of Black Women Lawyers

The study describes the ways in which race and gender shaped the career transitions of Black women lawyers, whose careers were affected by the opportunities generated by the Civil Rights Movement during the decade between 1973 and 1983. The author concludes that although the affirmative action policies and programs that diminished discrimination at the entry level of the profession dramatically increased the number of Black women lawyers during the period of study, a “Plexiglass ceiling” limited their choices. Their careers have been influenced negatively by both race and gender, which circumscribed their opportunities to practice in high status, powerful, and financially remunerative sectors of the profession.