For the second time in less than 10 years Joy Cunningham is trying to repeat her success as a history maker by winning an election.
In 2004 she made history by becoming the first black woman to be elected president of the Chicago Bar Association, a 138-year-old association whose 22,000 members consist mostly of attorneys and judges from Illinois.
And now, as the only black Illinois Supreme Court candidate, Cunningham is vying to become the first Black female Supreme Court justice. If she wins the March 20 primary and the general election in November, Illinois will become the first state to have two black Supreme Court justices.
Prior to Cunningham the only other black woman to run for the state’s high court was Blanche Manning, who unsuccessfully ran in 1990. A win would mean Cunningham will join Charles Freeman as the only other black justice.
Ohio, Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina are the only other states with a black, female Supreme Court justice.
But Cunningham, 60, said she does not want voters to vote for her simply because she is black or because she is a woman.
“Vote for me because I am the best qualified candidate who happens to be black,” she told Examiner.com. “Making history is fine but I am more interested in making history with landmark decisions as a Supreme Court justice.”
Currently Cunningham is an Illinois Appellate Court Justice after previously being in private practice earning a six-figure annual salary. If elected she will serve a 10-year term at an annual salary of $173,261. And even if she is not elected to the high court she plans to return to the Appellate Court and is not interested in running for a higher office.
The motivation to run came from Supreme Court Justice Thomas Fitzgerald, whose retirement created the vacancy and who supports Cunningham in the primary. Cunningham, a Democrat who resides on the North Side and grew up in New York, is a student of the late criminal defense attorney and state Appellate Court Justice R. Eugene Pincham.
“I miss my friend. He campaigned with me when I ran for the Appellate Court and taught me a lot of about the politics of being a judge,” the former nurse recalled. And in his absence Cunningham, who is Catholic and sometimes fellowships with the predominately black, congregation at St. Sabina Church on the South Side, has picked up endorsements from black, elected officials.
“She is an excellent lawyer whose background is appealing to me,” said U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis, D-7th District. I want to give her the chance she has earned to be a Supreme Court justice.”
Secretary of State Jesse White echoed Davis’ sentiments.
“Joy Cunningham has been an outstanding justice of the Appellate Court, was an excellent attorney and has demonstrated the ability to serve the people of Illinois on the Supreme Court with honor and distinction,” explained White. “I have always found her to be a person of the highest honesty and integrity.”
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle also has endorsed her.
Issues facing the black community, such as the use of cameras by Chicago police and abortion, were taboo subjects Cunningham could not speak about since she is running for Supreme Court.
“As much as I would like to comment I cannot because as a judge I am prohibited from making my opinions about such issues public,” she said. “Every judge has to be impartial so to preserve that distinction sitting judges do not speak out on issues especially those that could end up before them in court.”
One issue dear to her heart is the incarceration of mothers.
“It breaks my heart to see so many young mothers (many who are black) go to prison for non-violent offenses like prostitution and possession of narcotics,” Cunningham said. “Usually these women do not have anyone to care for their children and the kids end up being placed in foster care.”
As a founding member of the Chicago Legal Advocacy for Incarcerated Mothers, Cunningham said she has spent a fair amount of time at Cook County Jail. The non-profit organization provides legal and educational services to maintain the bond between imprisoned mothers and their children.
The wife and mother of an eight year-old son enjoys spending time with her family and cooking when she is not working or volunteering.
Having raised about $400,000 Cunningham said she needs to raise $1.2 million to reach as many voters in Cook County as possible. Only voters in Cook County will be allowed to vote for Cunningham since she resides in the Supreme Court’s first district, which is Cook County.
The other Supreme Court candidates are Republican James Riley and Democrats Aurelia Pucinski, Thomas Flannigan, and Mary Jane Theis. Another candidate, Democrat John Tully, recently withdrew from the race.
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