Harris, Patricia, 1924-1985

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Patricia Roberts Harris (May 31, 1924 – March 23, 1985) was an American academic, government official, and diplomat. The first African American woman to serve in the United States Cabinet, she previously served as United States Ambassador to Luxembourg under President Lyndon B. Johnson, and was the first African-American woman to represent the United States as an ambassador. She was also the first Black American woman to be dean of a law school, and the first to sit on a Fortune 500 company's board of directors.

Born in Mattoon, Illinois and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she attended public schools in Chicago. After earning scholarships to five different colleges, Roberts selected Howard University, from which she graduated, summa cum laude. She did graduate work in industrial relations at the University of Chicago from 1946 to 1949. In order to be better involved in civil rights work, she transferred to American University in 1949. While studying in Chicago, Roberts was a program director for the Young Women’s Christian Association. While at American University, she concurrently worked as the Assistant Director of the American Council on Human Rights, beginning in 1949 and staying until 1953. After marrying in 1955, Harris was beginning to pursue a career in education, but saw limited opportunity because of segregation. Her husband encouraged her to go to law school, and she received her J.D. from the George Washington University National Law Center in 1960, ranking number one out of a class of ninety-four students. Harris passed the bar exam the same year and began working as an attorney in the appeals and research section of the criminal division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

One year later, Harris took a job as a lecturer and the Associate Dean of Students at Howard University. In 1963 she ceased her role as Dean, but stayed on as a lecturer. Concurrently, from 1962 to 1965, she worked with the National Capital Area Civil Liberties Union. As her skills as an organizer bloomed, Harris also became increasingly involved in the Democratic Party. In 1963 she was elevated to a full professorship at Howard, and President John F. Kennedy appointed her co-chairman of the National Women's Committee for Civil Rights. In October 1965, President Johnson appointed her Ambassador to Luxembourg, a role she served in for two years. She was the first African American woman named as an American envoy. In 1967, Harris returned to the faculty of the Howard University's School of Law, where she was named Dean in 1969, another first for a black woman. She resigned as Dean a month later when Howard University President James E. Cheek refused to support her strong stand against student protests. She then joined Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, one of Washington, D.C.'s most prestigious law firms.

Harris was appointed to the cabinet of President Jimmy Carter as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) when Carter took office in 1977. Once confirmed, Harris became the first African American woman to enter the Presidential line of succession, being 13th in line for the Presidency. She served as HUD Secretary from 1977 to 1979, reorganizing the department and shifting from knocking down slums to rehabilitating the neighborhoods through millions of dollars of funding and her Neighborhood Strategy Program for rebuilding, Urban Development Action Grants for luring businesses back into cities, and an expanded Urban Homesteading Plan. s a result of her success leading HUD, Carter appointed Harris as the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, the largest Cabinet agency, in 1979. After the Department of Education Organization Act came into force on May 4, 1980, the department's education functions were transferred to the Department of Education. Harris remained as Secretary of the renamed Department of Health and Human Services until Carter left office in 1981. During her tenure with the Department, Harris faced several budget crises and refreshed the management team.

In 1981, Harris was appointed a full-time professor at the George Washington University Law School; she remained on the faculty until her death in 1985. Harris ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Washington, D.C. in 1982, losing the September 14 primary election to incumbent mayor Marion Barry. Harris died of breast cancer in Washington, D.C. and was interred at the Rock Creek Cemetery there.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn News and Information Services (University of Michigan) photograph series D (faculty and staff portraits), 1946-2006, 1950-1990 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Hugh H. Smythe and Mabel M. Smythe Papers, circa 1895-1997, (bulk 1960-1990) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Records of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 1956 - 2008. Photographs of Agency Officials National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Harris, Patricia, 1924-1985. Papers, 1950-1983 (bulk 1977-1980). Library of Congress
referencedIn Frederick D. Paterson Papers, 1861-1988, (bulk 1965-1988) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Knox College (Galesburg, Ill.). [Honorary degrees series] / [Knox College, Galesburg, Ill.]. Knox College, Seymour Library
referencedIn Guide to the Daily Worker and Daily World Photographs Collection, 1920-2001 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn Papers, 1884-1998 (inclusive), 1929-1988 (bulk) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Sage Colleges. Archives. Honorary degree recipient for 1970, Patricia Roberts Harris. The Sage Colleges Libraries
referencedIn Latino Project (Philadelphia, Pa.). Series 1. Administrative Records, 1976-1985. Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies Library
referencedIn Peterson, Esther, 1906-1997. Papers, 1884-1998 (inclusive), 1929-1998 (bulk). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Dannett, Sylvia G. L., 1909-. Sylvia G.L. Dannett papers, 1900-1965. Livingstone College, Andrew Carnegie Library
referencedIn Latino Project (Philadelphia, Pa.). Series 2. Legal Case Files, 1962-1981. Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies Library
creatorOf Harris, Patricia, 1924-1985. Patricia Harris : commercials , 1982. University of Oklahoma, Political Community Archives
referencedIn Patterson, Frederick D. (Frederick Douglass), 1901-1988. Frederick D. Patterson papers, 1861-1988 (bulk 1965-1988). Library of Congress
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Staff Secretary. 1976 - 1981. Presidential Files. 1977 - 1981. 8/3/79 Jimmy Carter Library
referencedIn University of Michigan. News and Information Services. Faculty and Staff Files, 1944-2005 (bulk 1960-1995) Bentley Historical Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
alumnusOrAlumnaOf American University (Washington, D.C.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Baroni, Geno C. (Geno Charles), 1930- person
correspondedWith Byrd, Robert C. person
associatedWith Carter, Jimmy, 1924- person
correspondedWith Carter, Rosalynn person
correspondedWith Chin, Carolyn Sue, 1947- person
associatedWith Communist Party of the United States of America. corporateBody
correspondedWith Coyle, Stephen F. person
correspondedWith Dannett, Sylvia G. L., 1909- person
correspondedWith Eizenstat, Stuart person
correspondedWith Embry, Robert Campbell, 1937- person
associatedWith ESTHER (EGGERTSEN) PETERSON, 1906-1997 person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf George Washington University. Law School. corporateBody
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Howard University corporateBody
correspondedWith Hubschman, Henry A., 1947- person
correspondedWith Janis, Jay, 1932- person
correspondedWith Jordan, Vernon E. (Vernon Eulion), 1935- person
correspondedWith Kinder, Randolph S. person
correspondedWith Kliman, Albert J. (Albert Joseph), 1934- person
associatedWith Knox College (Galesburg, Ill.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Koch, Ed, 1924- person
associatedWith Latino Project (Philadelphia, Pa.) corporateBody
associatedWith Latino Project (Philadelphia, Pa.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Medina, William Antonio, 1935- person
correspondedWith Mondale, Walter F., 1928- person
correspondedWith Murray, Pauli, 1910-1985 person
correspondedWith O'Neill, Tip person
correspondedWith Patterson, Frederick D. (Frederick Douglass), 1901-1988. person
associatedWith Peterson, Esther, 1906-1997. person
correspondedWith Proxmire, William person
correspondedWith Shalala, Donna E. person
associatedWith Smythe, Hugh H. (Hugh Heyne), 1913-1977. person
associatedWith Smythe, Mabel M. (Mabel Murphy). Hugh H. Smythe and Mabel M. Smythe papers. circa 1895-1997 person
correspondedWith Stark, Nathan J. person
associatedWith Strategic Arms Limitation Talks II. corporateBody
leaderOf United States. Department of Health and Human Services corporateBody
leaderOf United States. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare corporateBody
leaderOf United States. Department of Housing and Urban Development corporateBody
employeeOf United States. Department of State corporateBody
almaMaterOf University of Chicago. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. News and Information Services corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. News and Information Services. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Oklahoma. Political Commercial Archive. corporateBody
correspondedWith Vance, Cyrus R. (Cyrus Roberts), 1917-2002 person
correspondedWith Welsh, William B., 1924- person
correspondedWith Wise, Bill M., 1936- person
correspondedWith Wright, Jim, 1922- person
employeeOf Young Women's Christian Association corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Mattoon IL US
Chicago IL US
Luxembourg 03 LU
District of Columbia DC US
Subject
Abortion
Advertising, political
Alcoholism
Anti-inflationary policies
Civil rights
Civil rights
Community development, Urban
Consumer protection
Consumer protection
Diplomatic and consular service, American
Diplomatic and consular service, American
Disarmament
Discrimination
Discrimination in employment
Discrimination in housing
Drug abuse
Elections
Emigration and immigration
Energy policy
Environmental policy
Governmental investigations
Hospitals
Hospitals
Housing policy
Inflation (Finance)
Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981
Mayors
Medical policy
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Presidents
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Urban policy
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Women
Occupation
Ambassadors
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Educators
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Person

Birth 1924-05-31

Death 1985-03-23

Male

Americans

English

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