Archie Alexander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Archie Alexander
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| Governor of the United States Virgin Islands | |
| In office April 9, 1954 – August 31, 1955 |
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| Preceded by | Morris de Castro |
| Succeeded by | Charles Claunch (Acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 14, 1888 Ottumwa, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | January 4, 1958 (aged 69) Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Audra Linzy
(m. 1913) |
| Education |
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Archibald Alphonso Alexander (born May 14, 1888 – died January 4, 1958) was a very talented American engineer and architect. He made history as one of the first African Americans to graduate from the University of Iowa's College of Engineering. He also served as the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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Early Life and Education
Archie Alexander was born in Ottumwa, Iowa. He was the oldest of nine children in his family. When his family moved to a farm near Des Moines, Iowa, his father became a head custodian at a bank.
Alexander finished Oak Park High School in 1905. He then went to Highland Park College and Cummins Art College. Later, he studied engineering at the State University of Iowa, now known as the University of Iowa.
Making History at College
At the University of Iowa, Alexander was the only Black student at the time. In 1912, he became the first African American to graduate from the university's engineering program. His professors even warned him that finding work as an African American engineer might be tough.
Alexander was also a star football player at the University of Iowa. He played as a starting tackle for three years and was nicknamed "Alexander the Great." To pay for his studies, he worked many part-time jobs. He was also a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
During his summers, Alexander worked for Marsh Engineering Company in Des Moines. This company designed many important bridges. In 1921, he also studied bridge design in London. He earned another civil engineering degree in 1925 from Iowa State University.
Amazing Career
Building Bridges and More
After college, Alexander worked as a foreman before starting his own engineering company at age 26. His company, A. A. Alexander, Inc., first focused on building bridges. He worked with a partner, George F. Higbee, for eight years. After Higbee's death, Alexander ran the company alone for four years. One of his big projects was the heating and cooling system for the University of Iowa.
In 1926, Alexander received a Harmon award for his great work in business and engineering. He also got the Laurel Wreath Award, the highest honor from his fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi.
In 1929, Alexander teamed up with his former classmate and football friend, Maurice A. Repass. They changed the company name to Alexander & Repass. Their first major project was a huge sewage treatment plant in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They also built many roads and bridges across the country. This included parts of the Whitehurst Freeway and an extension to the Baltimore–Washington Parkway.
Their firm also built a bridge and seawall at the Tidal Basin in Washington D.C. Alexander made sure his construction crew was integrated, meaning people of different races worked together. They also built Moton Airfield, where the famous Tuskegee Airmen trained. By 1949, Ebony magazine called Alexander's firm "the nation's most famous interracial business." In total, Alexander led over 300 projects in his career.
The University of Iowa gave him an honorary master's degree in engineering in 1925. Howard University also gave him an honorary Doctor of Engineering in 1946.
Stepping into Politics
Alexander started his political journey in 1932. He served as the assistant chairman of the Iowa Republican State Committee. He held this position again in 1940. In the 1930s, he was very active in the Republican party. He strongly supported Dwight D. Eisenhower when he ran for president in 1952.
Besides politics, Alexander was also involved in African American organizations. He was a founding member and president of the Des Moines chapter of the NAACP in 1944. He also served on the board of the Negro Community Center and was a trustee at Howard University and Tuskegee Institute.
In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Alexander as the Governor of the United States Virgin Islands. He was the first Republican governor there in a long time. His time as governor was short and faced some challenges. In 1955, he faced criticism regarding contracts for road building on St. Thomas. He resigned on August 18, 1955.
Personal Life
Archie Alexander married Audra A. Lindzy in 1913. They had one child, Archibald Alphonso Jr., who sadly died when he was young.
Alexander passed away from a heart attack in 1958 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Lasting Legacy
After his wife Audra Linzy Alexander passed away in 1973, funds from Alexander's will were given to the University of Iowa, Tuskegee Institute, and Howard University. Each university received over $100,000 (which would be about $1.5 million today) for engineering scholarships. This helped many students study engineering.
Archie Alexander's important papers are kept at the University of Iowa Special Collections & University Archives.
Alexander is also honored in the College Football Hall of Fame for his three seasons playing football at the University of Iowa.
