Gertrude Elzora Durden Rush (August 5, 1880 – September 5, 1962) was a groundbreaking attorney, civil rights advocate, and writer who made history as the first African American woman admitted to the Iowa bar in 1918. Born in Texas and raised in Iowa, Rush defied the racial and gender norms of her time through education, self-discipline, and an unshakable sense of justice.
Trained in law by her husband, attorney James B. Rush, she passed the Iowa bar at a time when Black women lawyers were nearly nonexistent. Denied entry to the American Bar Association because of her race, Rush didn’t back down—instead, she helped co-found the National Bar Association (NBA) in 1925. She was the only woman among its five founders, and the NBA quickly became the leading national organization for Black attorneys.
Beyond the courtroom, Rush was also a playwright, public speaker, and active clubwoman who used her voice to uplift African American communities, particularly women. Her work combined legal excellence with cultural and moral leadership.
Today, her legacy lives on in the Gertrude Rush Award, given annually by the NBA to attorneys who embody her courage and commitment to justice. Rush remains a powerful symbol of Black excellence, female leadership, and legal activism in American history.
