Black History Month – Part 3
It is a great privilege and honor to be able to present the stories of some of our remarkable black sisters. Many other websites are honoring Black women this month. I chose to focus on the first black women to earn a PhD. Very few people, male or female, black or white have a PhD. For the women whose stories we are covering to have earned their PhD’s in the early twentieth century when there was so much prejudice against black people is truly amazing. These women must be counted among the most courageous people who ever lived.
The first week in Black History Month we honored a very courageous woman, Eva Beatrice Dykes for being the first black woman in America to complete the requirements for a PhD. Her degree was in English Philology, and she received her degree at her commencement on June 22, 1921. Last week we looked at the story of the first woman to be awarded a PhD at commencement. Georgiana Rose Simpson received a PhD in German Philology on June 14, 1921 – just over 100 years ago. This week we will look at the story of the second black woman to receive a PhD – Sadie T. M. Alexander, who received her PhD in Economics on June 15, 1921.
Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander (1898-1989)
“… all men are the children of one God the Father, members of the same Mystical Body of Christ and temples of the same Holy Ghost.”[1]
You may have heard the saying, “The apple did not fall far from the tree” and that is true of Sadie T. M. Alexander. She came from a family who accomplished a great many “firsts” and went on the accomplish many “firsts” herself. Sadie’s grandfather, Benjamin Tucker Tanner was the founding editor of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Review (1884-1888). Her father, Aaron Mossell and his brothers were the first black American children to attend a fully integrated school in Lockport, New York. Aaron Mossell was the first black American to graduate from law school. His brother, Nathan Francis Mossell was the first black American to graduate from Penn’s medical School. Her aunt, Halle Tanner (Johnson) graduated from medical school and became the first woman of any race to practice medicine in Alabama.
Into this incredible family, Sadie was born on January 2, 1898, in Philadelphia. Sadly, only a year later her father left their family. Her mother, Mary Tanner Mossell moved the family to Washington, D.C. to be near her relatives. Sadie Mossell graduated from the all-black M Street High School in Washington, D.C. She wanted to go to Howard University, but her mother convinced her to return to Philadelphia and attend the University of Pennsylvania. Sadie was admitted to the university but while there she encountered enormous racial and gender discrimination.
She later recalled that every night at the beginning of her fall, 1916 term she would pray, “God give me the strength to do my assignment the very best I have the ability” and “Dear Lord, teach me to walk alone and not be lonely, knowing Thou art at my side.”[2] As we saw in the story of Georgiana Simpson, Sadie was shunned by white women. They would not talk to her and then she would show up late in class only to be seated next to white women who had ignored her and didn’t tell her where to find her class.
Sadie bravely persevered and in 1918 she graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in education with senior honors. During her undergraduate years she developed a special friendship with Virginia Alexander who would continue her studies at the Women’s Medical College. Through Virginia she met and later married Virginia’s brother, Raymond Pace Alexander. Sadie and Virginia became active in the Black American Gamma Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1921 Sadie accomplished one of her many “firsts” becoming the first president of the national organization in 1921.
Sadie was awarded a Master of Arts degree in economics in 1919 and won the Francis Sergeant Pepper Fellowship in economics for 1920-21. This grant helped her to finish graduate school when she achieved another first. In 1921 Sadie was the first black American, male or female, to receive a PhD in Economics.
As a black woman in the 1920’s Sadie was unable to secure employment in the field for which she was trained. She finally took a job as an actuary for a black-owned insurance company. In 1923 Sadie Tanner Mossell and Raymond Pace Alexander were married at the Tanner homestead in North Philadelphia. She remained at home while Raymond passed his Pennsylvania bar examination and established a private law practice.
After all of her incredible intellectual accomplishments the role of housewife was not very fulfilling for Sadie. Though she would have two children she was so gifted and able that she could easily juggle roles between work and home. So, Sadie did what all brilliant and enthusiastic intellectuals did, she went back to school. In 1924 she achieved another first as a black American woman enrolled in the School of Law at the University of Pennsylvania. She was also the first to serve as associate editor of the Law Review and the first to graduate in 1927 and yet another first was achieved as she became the first black American woman to pass the bar and practice in Pennsylvania.
One of the reasons that Sadie wanted to get a law degree was because she saw it as a way to help improve educational opportunities for blacks. She had confronted too much unfair discrimination at school. For example, the dean at the law school made a directive that excluded her from joining clubs with her classmates. She studied at home with her husband. The dean then attempted, but failed, to prevent her from being elected to the Law Review Board. After graduating, because no law firms would hire a woman at that time, Sadie practiced law at her husband’s firm. She specialized in estate and family law and worked in the orphan’s court. Sadie and Raymond were one of the first husband/wife law teams in the country. In 1927, Sadie achieved another first, becoming the first black women to be appointed as the city solicitor for Philadelphia, a job she held for eight years.
In the 1930’s Mary Elizabeth and Rae Pace Alexander were born. This happened at a time when Sadie was becoming more involved with social activities. Civic and religious organizations were continually asking her to speak. Her speeches focused on barriers that prevented black people from full participation in democratic, economic, and educational activities. She called for social action and changes to policies that were discriminatory. Still, Sadie successfully balanced her domestic responsibilities with a professional and civic life.
In 1946, President Harry Truman appointed Sadie to a committee that was investigating civil rights. This was another first as Sadie became the first black woman appointed to a presidential committee. This was the most important civil rights commission that had ever been organized. Her work laid the foundation for the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Sadie’s massive contribution demonstrated how the actual civil rights and liberties of black people did not match up with what the United States said they were. In 1978 Sadie was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to chair the White House Conference on Aging.
In 1948 Sadie was recognized as an inspiration for black Americans. She was named “Woman of the Year” and featured in Negro Heroes,[3] a comic book published by the National Urban League with the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Aimed at black youth, the publication strove to emphasize “the value of education, training, and perseverance as seen through role models such as Sadie Alexander, Jackie Robinson, and Booker T. Washington.”[4]
Sadie is a wonderful example of perseverance and a good role model for black youth.
Here are just two examples of Sadie Alexander’s wisdom for which she is deserving of remembrance and should be honored. Although some of her speeches are a bit “dated”, the truths about racial tolerance and equal opportunity are still timely.
Tolerance – “It is the person we do not know whom we dislike. In all of the people you know well, you can find some admirable qualities. The same situation exists concerning the relation between races of people.”[5] This is why we are celebrating Black History Month. The stories need to be told so that white people can get to know black people and help erase the unreasonable prejudice.
Opportunity – Sadie often spoke of the discrepancy between the words of American citizens and their actions. There were numerous laws on the books aimed at preventing racial discrimination, but many people just ignored them and did little to address the wrongs. She was saddened by it not only because of the injury to black people but because she loved her country and wanted America to be great. America can not hold her head up high in the face of such hypocrisy. Why would other nations choose democracy when they see America failing to protect the lowest of her citizens? “By destroying every vestige of discrimination at home, we make democracy secure at home and in so doing the hope of the people of the world.”[6]
This limited space prevents me from listing all of the activities of Sadie Alexander including the more than thirty organizations that Sadie participated in while making many valuable contributions. In 1974, Sadie received a fifth college degree from the University of Pennsylvania – an honorary Doctor of Laws. The citation presented to her at that time sums up her remarkable life of achievement:
“Through her singular legacy of womanhood, family, and race, Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander has given us all a special heritage of accomplishment to be admired and emulated. … As an active worker for civil rights, she has been a steady and forceful advocate on the national, state, and municipal scene, reminding people everywhere that freedoms are won not only by idealism but by persistence and will over a long time.”[7]
Sadie remained active until 1982 when her battle with Alzheimer’s disease forced her to retire from public life. She retired to Cathedral Village in Philadelphia where she spent her remaining years. She died in 1989.
How many “firsts” did you find in this post?
[1] Nina Banks, Editor. Democracy, Race, & Justice: The Speeches and Writings of Sadie T. M. Alexander (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2021) p. 180.
[2] Jessie Carney Smith, Editor. Notable Black American Women. (Detroit, MI: Gale Research Inc., 1992) p. 6.
[3] This magazine is a part of history. I am merely reporting it. Many changes have been made for black citizens since then. We lament the fact that there haven’t been more.
[4] Ibid. Smith. page 7.
[5] Nina Banks, Editor. Democracy, Race, & Justice: The Speeches and Writings of Sadie T. M. Alexander (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2021) p. 189.
[6] Banks, p. 233
[7] Smith, page 8.
One Response
Welcome!!