Archibald alfonso alexander biography

Archibald Alphonso Alexander (May 14, 1888 – January 4, 1958) was an.
African American engineer, architect, and mathematician Archie Alphonso Alexander was born on May 14, 1888 in Ottumwa, Iowa.
Archibald Alphonso Alexander was an American architect and engineer.

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Archie Alexander

Archibald Alphonse „Archie“ Alexander (* 14. Mai1888 in Ottumwa, Iowa; † 4. Januar1958 in Iowa) war ein US-amerikanischerBauingenieur und Politiker. In den Jahren 1954 und 1955 war er Gouverneur der Amerikanischen Jungferninseln.

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Archie Alexander besuchte zunächst verschiedene Schulen in Iowa. Als einer der ersten Afroamerikaner absolvierte er die University of Iowa und studierte dort Bauingenieurwesen. Zwischenzeitlich war er für die Des Moines National Bank tätig. Später arbeitete er auch für eine Baufirma, die vor allem Brücken errichtete. Er sah seine berufliche Zukunft in der Brückenarchitektur. Dieses Fach studierte er in London sowie an der University of Iowa. Im Jahr 1929 gründete er die Firma Alexander & Repass, mit der er für den Rest seines Lebens verbunden blieb. Das Unternehmen baute vor allem Brücken und Straßen, aber auch Flugfelder und sogar das Klimasystem der Iowa State University.

Im Jahr 1934 war er eines von zwölf Mitgliedern einer Kommission zur Untersuchung der sozialen

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Archie Alexander

African American architect and engineer (1888–1958)

Archibald Alphonso Alexander (May 14, 1888 – January 4, 1958) was an American architect and engineer. He was an early African-American graduate of the University of Iowa and the first to graduate from the University of Iowa's College of Engineering. He was also a governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Early life and education

Alexander was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, to Price and Mary Hamilton Alexander, part of a small African American community.^[1]^[2] He was the eldest of their nine children. When the family moved to a farm outside Des Moines, Price became head custodian at the Des Moines National Bank. Alexander graduated from Oak Park High School in 1905. He then attended Highland Park College and Cummins Art College before matriculating at the State University of Iowa (later known as the University of Iowa) to study engineering.^[3] Not only was Alexander the only African-American student at the University at the time, but he was the first African-America

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Alexander, Archie Alphonso

Engineer, governor

After the dean of the engineering school at the State University of Iowa told him that he had never heard of a Negro engineer and tried to persuade him to find another career choice, Archie Alexander became more determined than ever to pursue his professional goal. Although denied employment with white architectural firms early in his career, Alexander remain steadfast and later became a successful engineer and builder of large-scale construction projects, such as highways, bridges, viaducts, and municipal power and sewage plants. He established his own engineering company, several times entering in interracial partnerships—an unusual venture of that time—and became a wealthy man. He was also a politician and worked for civil rights causes.

Early Interest in Higher Education

Born in Ottuma, Iowa, on May 14, 1888, and one of eight children, Archie Alphonso Alexander was the son of Price Alexander, a janitor and coachman, and Mary Hamilton Alexander. The town of 14,000 residents was predominantly white with only 500 blacks; it inc