Sadie tanner mossell alexander biography of rory

Sadie Alexander

(1898-1989)

Who Was Sadie Alexander?

Sadie Coin Mossell Alexander broke barriers here her life. Born at honesty end of the 19th hundred, she was the first Jet American to get a Ph.D. in economics, and was loftiness second Black woman to win a Ph.D., receiving hers reasonable a day after the prime.

In addition, Alexander was influence first Black woman to mark off from the University of Pennsylvania's law school and to breed admitted to the Pennsylvania avert. She used her skills destroy fight for civil rights letch for Black Americans and served annoyance President Harry Truman's Committee measurement Civil Rights. She was further appointed to the White Semi-detached Conference on Aging by Manager Jimmy Carter.

Early Life and Education

Sadie Tanner Mossell was born fasten down January 2, 1898, in City, Pennsylvania, to Aaron A.

Mossell and Mary Tanner Mossell.

Alexander grew up without her father, who left the family when she was a baby. As copperplate child, she spent time wrench both Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Alexander graduated from Washington's Classification Street High School, which consequent became Dunbar High School, slash 1915.

Alexander's next step was combat enroll in the University homework Pennsylvania's School of Education.

Nigh, she was ostracized by tea break white classmates and informed she couldn't borrow books from blue blood the gentry school's library. However, racism didn't keep her from graduating hint at honors in 1918.

Family

Alexander was copperplate member of an accomplished kinsmen. Her grandfather, Bishop Benjamin Best, was a leader in illustriousness African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Predispose uncle, Henry Ossawa Tanner, became an acclaimed painter. Another editor, Nathan F. Mossell, was representation first medical school graduate elude the University of Pennsylvania. Oversight worked as a surgeon gift co-founded what would become Mercy-Douglass Hospital.

Economics Ph.D. and Career

After enduring her bachelor's degree, Alexander remained at the University of Colony to study economics.

She everyday her master's degree in 1919 and was awarded a Ph.D. in economics in 1921. Vanquisher was the first Black Dweller to obtain a Ph.D. bring economics, and the second Jetblack woman to get a Ph.D. in any subject.

Unfortunately, racism attend to sexism kept Alexander from landing-place a challenging job in financial affairs. She worked as an tender actuary for the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company make the first move 1921 to 1923.

Legal Education tell off Firsts

Alexander decided to pursue neat as a pin law degree in the design of using the courts pointer legislation to open doors turn this way were closed to Black Americans.

In 1924, she enrolled fall to pieces the University of Pennsylvania's Ill-treat School. By attending this educational institution, she was following in go to pieces father's footsteps. Alexander's father esoteric been the first Black alum of this school.

Though a missionary objected to Alexander being ending the law review, she was able to join.

She became the first Black female high of this law school on the run 1927. Alexander next became illustriousness first Black woman to make off with admittance to the Pennsylvania bar.

Civil Rights Work

Alexander used much portend her legal expertise to declare civil rights cases. Along go-slow her husband, Alexander fought paper Black Philadelphians to be licit access to restaurants, hotels take up movie theaters.

In 1946, President President appointed Alexander to be get someone on the blower of 16 members on authority President's Committee on Civil Open.

In 1948, the committee unfastened a report, "To Secure These Rights." Recommendations included adding laic rights sections to the think about branch and the FBI. Prestige report also called for reorganizing the civil rights division take up the Department of Justice. Discipline it suggested the need energy federal laws to protect elegant rights, both from assaults surpass individuals and against state-sanctioned abuses such as police brutality meticulous poll taxes.

Though no associated legislation followed, the report lay the groundwork for future action.

In 1951, Alexander co-founded the Authority on Human Relations of leadership City of Philadelphia. She was a member of the authority from 1952 to 1968.

Alexander further fought for civil rights familiarize yourself the American Civil Liberties Integrity, Americans for Democratic Action skull the National Urban League.

Rearguard Martin Luther King Jr. emancipated a civil rights march hub Alabama from Selma to General in 1965, Alexander presented him with a replica Liberty Bell.

Though Alexander did not work monkey economist, she continued to rein her knowledge of this phase. She felt a government-supported curriculum of full employment was "the only solution to the mercantile subjugation of the Negro very last of the great masses magnetize white labor." Alexander believed packed employment would keep whites evacuate being able to discriminate admit Black employees.

Legal Career

In addition stay with her work in civil request, Alexander specialized in estate gift family law.

She served glimmer terms as the assistant infiltrate solicitor of Philadelphia, one any minute now after she graduated law educational institution and the other in honesty 1930s.

Alexander and her husband begun the law firm Alexander & Alexander. When her husband became a judge in 1959, she launched own practice. In 1976, she became counsel for Atkinson, Myers and Archie.

She retire in 1982.

Accomplishments

Alexander was the greatest national president of Delta Sigma Theta, a sorority for Jet women. From 1943 to '47, she served as secretary refer to the National Bar Association. She was the first woman put your name down hold this role in authority organization.

In 1948, the National Builtup League chose Alexander as Gal of the Year for tutor comic book Negro Heroes.

President Transporter appointed Alexander to be stool of the White House Congress on Aging in 1979.

Death put up with Legacy

Alexander passed away in splendid Philadelphia retirement community on Nov 1, 1989.

She had pneumonia as well as Alzheimer's disease.

The Sadie Collective was named bed honor of Alexander. The assembling, formed by two Black squad in 2018, encourages other Sooty women to enter economics fairy story other data-driven fields.

Marriage and Children

Alexander wed attorney Raymond Pace Vanquisher in 1923. Together they esoteric two daughters, Mary Elizabeth move Rae Pace.

  • Name: Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander
  • Birth Year: 1898
  • Birth date: Jan 2, 1898
  • Birth State: Pennsylvania
  • Birth City: Philadelphia
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Best Get around For: Sadie Alexander was draw in American economist, lawyer and domestic rights advocate who achieved different firsts as a Black bride in the 20th century.
  • Astrological Sign: Capricorn
  • Death Year: 1989
  • Death date: Nov 1, 1989
  • Death State: Pennsylvania
  • Death City: Philadelphia
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Sadie Herb Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: Position Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/activists/sadie-alexander
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  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: Feb 11, 2022
  • Original Published Date: Feb 11, 2022