Unlearned History Episode2: Patricia Roberts Harris

Unlearned History Episode 2 Patricia Roberts Harris 1924-85

The first black woman to be in the line of succession of the US Presidency, first black woman to represent US as a diplomat, civil rights activist, First black woman to be Dean of Howard  University School of Law, a director of IBM, and is honored in 2000 with a stamp

This woman is Patricia Roberts Harris, born in Mattoon Illinois in 1924 to a dining car waiter. She graduated in 1945 summa cum laude and received her J.D in 1960 as valedictorian of 94 students.

She made a name for herself in Democratic politics eventually seconding the nomination of LBJ in 1964. One year later, she was named by Lyndon B Johnson as ambassador to Luxembourg, a post she served in  until 1967

In 1969, she was the first black woman to serve as Dean of Howard University (her alma mater’s) School Of Law. In 1972, she was again at the Democratic National Convention as permanent Chairperson of the Credentials Committee who examined the eligibility of those seeking election to office. In 1977, Harris was nominated by Former President Jimmy Carter to be Secretary of HUD. She was challenged by Republican William Proxmire about her ability to represent the poor. Her epic response was:

You do not seem to understand who I am. I am a black woman, the daughter of a dining car waiter. I am a woman who couldn’t buy a house 8 years ago in certain parts of the District of Columbia. I didn’t start out as a member of a prestigious law firm, but as a woman who needed a scholarship to go to school. If you think I have forgotten that, you are wrong.

Once installed, she dispelled any doubts about her leadership, she lobbied for Congressional monies to build more subsidized housing, reshaped the focus of HUD, revitalized neighborhoods in deteriorating communities. She wanted to replace public housing with a voucher system to provide the poor with more choices for housing

In 1979 as Secretary of Health, Education & Welfare she protected social programs from cuts.

In 1980, she was named the first Secretary of the newly reorganized Department of Health & Human Services until Carter left office in 1981.

In 1982, she unsuccessfully ran for Mayor of DC losing in the primary to Marion Berry. That year she was selected a permanent professor at the George Washgington National Law Center, where she worked until she succumbed to breast cancer on March 23, 1985

I wanted to do a project of lesser known black Americans and she was my pic. I’m glad to research this woman who didn’t shut the door behind her after she attained The American Dream. RIP Patricia Roberts Harris!