Alberta Jones was a Central High School graduate from the class of 1948 and the first African American woman to practice law in the state of Kentucky.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A new award has been named after a Louisville champion for civil rights.

Friday morning, Central High School's Law and Government magnet program presented its first-ever Alberta Jones award to Laura Rothstein -- a former University of Louisville law professor who helped create the high school program 21 years ago.

"Alberta Jones paid the ultimate price for her courage," Rothstein said. "She would expect us to keep on with her work, knowing that each of you in the room had people who believed in you and inspired you."

Laura Rothstein holding her Alberta Jones award. Rothstein created Central High School's Law and Government magnet program 21 years ago.

Jones was a Central High School graduate from the class of 1948 and the first African American woman to practice law in the state of Kentucky.

Throughout her life, Jones was a trailblazer for the advancement of civil rights and served as a prosecutor for the commonwealth. She is also known as Muhammad Ali's first attorney.

Jones was murdered in 1965 and to this day, her case has never been solved.

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