?Patricia Roberts Harris, born on May 31, 1924, in Mattoon, Illinois, was a trailblazing American politician, diplomat, and legal scholar. She holds the distinction of being the first African American woman to serve in a U.S. presidential cabinet.?Women of the Hall
Harris’s early life was marked by academic excellence and civic engagement. She graduated summa cum laude from Howard University in 1945 and was actively involved in civil rights activities, including participating in one of the nation’s first lunch counter sit-ins in 1943. She later earned a law degree from George Washington University Law School in 1960, graduating first in her class.?WikipediaDiscover LBJ
Her career was characterized by a series of groundbreaking achievements:?
In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed her as the U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg, making her the first African American woman to hold an ambassadorial position. ?Women of the Hall
In 1969, she became the first African American woman to serve as dean of a U.S. law school at Howard University. ?Encyclopedia Britannica
In 1977, under President Jimmy Carter, Harris was appointed Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, becoming the first African American woman to serve in a presidential cabinet. ?Wikipedia
She later served as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, and continued as Secretary of Health and Human Services after the department’s reorganization in 1980. ?Encyclopedia Britannica
Beyond her government service, Harris was a pioneer in the corporate world, becoming the first African American woman to serve on the board of directors of a Fortune 500 company, IBM. ?Women’s Voices Media
Patricia Roberts Harris passed away on March 23, 1985, leaving behind a legacy of public service and breaking racial and gender barriers in American politics and society.
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