University of Kentucky graduate Pamela Goodwine made history and broke barriers becoming the first Black woman elected to the Kentucky Supreme Court. 

The judge won her election for Kentucky’s 5th Supreme Court District on Tuesday night Nov. 5, defeating Lexington attorney Erin Izzo.

Her win was announced by the Associated Press .according to the Courier Journal, just before 9 p.m., with Goodwine leading with 77.1% of the vote based on 68% of the ballots counted. 

Goodwine received her undergraduate degree from the Martin Gatton College of Business at UK in 1991 and her law degree from UK’s College of Law in 1994. 

She served as a Kentucky judge for 25 years and most recently served on the Kentucky Court of Appeals beginning in 2018. 

Goodwine also made history by becoming the fifth person and first woman to ever serve at all levels of the Kentucky judicial system. 

She was inducted into UK’s Carol Martin Gatton College of Business and Economics Alumni Hall of Fame in February 2000. 

“Her position shows a significant step forward for diversity and representation for women and all people of color in Kentucky,” sophomore political science major Hannah Mulrooney said. 

State political figures shared their congratulations to Goodwine on their social media accounts.

“Congratulations to Justice-elect Pamela Goodwine on winning her race for the Kentucky Supreme Court. She is a fair and impartial judge with decades of experience on the bench. Kentuckians will be better off with her serving on the court,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Former Kentucky Representative and U.S. Senate candidate Charles Booker celebrated her win on social media as well.

“More cracks in the ceiling tonight. More HERstory being made. Kentucky has elected Pamela Goodwine to serve on the Supreme Court. She is the first Black woman to hold this office. Let’s keep going,” Booker said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Goodwine will fill the 5th District seat now held by Chief Justice Laurance VanMeter, who decided not to seek re-election. 

Goodwine will be sworn into office on Jan. 7, 2025.