Pamela Lynn Carter (born Pamela Lynn Fanning; August 20, 1949) was the first black woman to serve as a state's attorney general. She served as Indiana Attorney General from 1993 to 1997.

Career

Pamela Carter attended the

University of Detroit The University of Detroit Mercy is a private Roman Catholic university in Detroit, Michigan. It is sponsored by both the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and the Sisters of Mercy. The university was founded in 1877 and is the largest Catholic univers ...

, graduating with a bachelor's degree in social work and pre-law. She later earned an

M.S.W. The Master of Social Work (MSW) is a master's degree in the field of social work. It is a professional degree with specializations compared to Bachelor of Social Work (BSW). MSW promotes macro-, mezzo- and micro-aspects of professional social work ...

degree from the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

and a J.D. degree from the Indiana University School of Law. Carter worked as trial attorney specializing in consumer protection and joined the legal services of the

United Auto Workers The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers (UAW), is an American labor union that represents workers in the United States (including Puerto Rico) ...

. Carter worked as an enforcement attorney for Indiana's secretary of state and as deputy chief of staff to Democratic Indiana Governor

Evan Bayh Birch Evans Bayh III ( ; born December 26, 1955) is an American lawyer, lobbyist, and Democratic Party politician who served as a United States senator from Indiana from 1999 to 2011 and the 46th governor of Indiana from 1989 to 1997. Bayh ...

, helping to reform health and human services in the state. Carter ran for Indiana Attorney General in 1992. Carter ran against

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Timothy Bookwalter (a public defender from Putnam County), with Carter defeating him with fifty-two percent of the vote. Carter succeeded Linley E. Pearson to the office and served as Attorney General in the administration of Governor Bayh. Carter was succeeded to the office by Jeff Modisett. She is the first African-American woman elected as a state's attorney general. Carter is also the first African American and the first woman attorney general in Indiana's history. In Indiana, Carter is only the second African American elected to statewide office. In 1995, she was included on ''

Ebony Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus '' Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when ...

''′s list of "100 Most Influential Black Americans."

References

1949 births Indiana Democrats Indiana Attorneys General African-American women lawyers American women lawyers African-American lawyers African-American people in Indiana politics Living people University of Michigan School of Social Work alumni Indiana University Maurer School of Law alumni African-American women in politics People from South Haven, Michigan 21st-century African-American people 21st-century African-American women 20th-century African-American people 20th-century African-American women {{US-law-bio-stub

Career

See also

References