Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander was a trailblazing figure who shattered racial and gender barriers throughout her life. Born in 1898 in Philadelphia, she made history in 1921 by becoming one of the first three Black women in the U.S. to receive a Ph.D. in economics.
Alexander came from a prominent family of high achievers. Her grandfather, Bishop Benjamin Tucker Tanner, led the AME Church in Philadelphia. Her uncle, painter Henry Ossawa Tanner, found acclaim in Europe and America. Another uncle, Dr. Nathan Francis Mossell, founded the Mercy-Douglass Hospital.
Both her father and uncle were the first Black graduates of prestigious University of Pennsylvania programs. Aaron Albert Mossell was the first Black lawyer to graduate Penn’s law school.
Overcoming Adversity For Academic Excellence
Despite her privileged lineage, Alexander still faced immense prejudice as a Black woman pursuing advanced education in the early 1900s. At Penn, none of her white women classmates would speak to her. She persisted through isolation and open discrimination to earn not only her economics doctorate but also graduate and law degrees from the university.
Even with her remarkable credentials, Alexander struggled to find a job befitting her qualifications in 1920s Philadelphia. She temporarily worked insurance jobs before moving back home, determined to keep striving rather than settle into domestic roles expected of women.
An Enduring Partnership For Justice
In 1923, Alexander married lawyer Raymond Pace Alexander, who soon became the first Black judge appointed in Philadelphia. The couple established a firm together focused on civil rights cases and advocating for marginalized groups.
At Raymond’s side, Alexander blazed trails as both the first Black female graduate of Penn’s law school and first Black female lawyer admitted to the Pennsylvania state bar.
Career Of Public Service
Beyond the law firm, Alexander pursued a career of service by advancing opportunities for African Americans. Her roles included serving on President Truman’s civil rights committee and various public commissions addressing discrimination.
Well into her 80s, Alexander continued trailblazing as a lawyer, community leader, and courageous example of Black excellence achieved despite the immense injustices of the times.
Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander’s story is one of triumph in the face of adversity. Coming from a line of Black pioneers across fields, she emerged to set her own “firsts” that opened doors for other African-American women.
