I Am Black History — Colored Girl Lawyer Rocks

Colored Girl Lawyer Rocks!, 56 X 68 inch red and white quilt by O.V. Brantley, 2022. Machine quilted by Maxine Moore. NFS.

When I was appointed by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners to serve as the Fulton County Attorney in 1999, I was the second African American to serve in that role. Later when I served as the Interim Hall County Attorney, I was the first African American to serve in that role. Any high profile role in local government is stressful, and my eight year career as the Fulton County Attorney was no exception. However, I credit my discovery of the joy of quilting as a major contributor to my success. I learned it was okay to be a smart attorney and a creative quilter at the same time. At the time, it did not seem like such a big deal, but now as I look back on it, I became an early advocate for mental health. I taught my staff and colleagues that it is imperative to balance your life with professional success and mindless joy.

Take care of yourself people! All of yourself!

Happy Black History Month!

Fulton County Attorneys, 82 X 106 inch memory quilt by O.V. Brantley, 2001. It was the first memory quilt I created for my Fulton County Office. Each staff member signed a block. The quilt hung in our conference room until 2007..