Mahala Ashley Dickerson: Pioneering Black Lawyer and Homesteader in Alaska

Mahala Ashley Dickerson, a trailblazing African American lawyer, broke barriers in the legal profession and homesteading, becoming Alabama's first Black female lawyer in 1948 and Alaska's first Black homesteader and lawyer in 1958. Born in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1912, Dickerson graduated from Fisk University in 1935 and later earned her law degree from Howard University School of Law in 1945. After practicing law in Alabama, she moved to Indiana, becoming the second Black woman admitted to the bar there. A holiday trip to Alaska led to her decision to move, where she homesteaded 160 acres in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley in 1958 and passed the Alaska Bar exam the same year. Despite facing discrimination, Dickerson established law offices in Wasilla and Anchorage, known for her strong defense of clients and willingness to take on difficult cases, including a notable win for female faculty at the University of Alaska who were receiving lower wages than their male counterparts. Dickerson held several important positions, including president of the National Association of Women Lawyers from 1983 to 1984, and received numerous honors, such as the Margaret Brent Award from the American Bar Association in 1995. She authored an autobiography, "Delayed Justice for Sale," in 1998, reflecting on her life and career with characteristic determination. Dickerson died in 2007 at the age of 94, leaving a legacy as a pioneering figure in law and civil rights.

Her story has been recognized by the National Park Service as part of Black history. A friend of civil rights icon Rosa Parks, Dickerson's career and personal life embodied a spirit of resilience and trailblazing achievement.