Elaine Jones has defined her life by constantly blazing new trails and confronting racism and discrimination wherever it exists.

Recently retired from her position as president and director-council for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Jones has achieved a number of firsts in her illustrious career. She was the first African-American woman to graduate from the University of Virginia law school, the first woman to head the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and the first African-American elected to the American Bar Association Board of Governors.

Jones is a fascinating and oft-requested speaker because of the passion she brings to the pursuit of her ideals. From the age of eight, she has said, she knew that she wanted to be a lawyer and to commit her life to the pursuit of equal justice.