Nationwide — Meet Pamela Goodwine, who made history as the first African American woman to be elected to the Kentucky Supreme Court. She was officially sworn in as justice during a packed ceremony in Frankfort, marking another milestone in her long career in law.Goodwine’s journey has been filled with personal challenges. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, she spent time in foster care before being adopted. In high school, she gave up a college scholarship to care for her adoptive father, who had lung cancer. After his death, her uncle murdered her mother.
At 24, Goodwine was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a painful and lifelong condition. She spent two months in the hospital, relearning how to eat and walk. She later began working in the legal field as a secretary and court stenographer. She went on to earn her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Kentucky.
“I always say I don’t give up on my dreams when life gets hard, I simply work harder to make my dreams come true,” Goodwine said, according to the Kentucky Lantern. “If there is one philosophy and action I would like to be known for and for you all to recognize and live by as well, that is it. No matter what life brings your way, keep dreaming, keep working for your goals.”
Goodwine became a district judge in 1999, then a circuit judge in 2003. In 2018, she became the first Black woman elected to the Kentucky Court of Appeals. With her election to the Supreme Court, she is now the first person in state history to serve at every level of the judiciary.
Her victory also gives the Kentucky Supreme Court a female majority for the first time. Leaders, including Gov. Andy Beshear, called her story a powerful reminder of progress and representation in the legal system.