Highlighting Black Accounting Trailblazers
CPAacademy.org is committed to honoring the rich history of the first black accounting trailblazers, who took the initial steps to break into this once "exclusive" profession and make their mark on the accounting world. Each Wednesday during the month of February, we'll publish a new article highlighting these trailblazers. Through this 4-part series of articles, we encourage you to learn more about the black accounting community, the issues they face, and their contributions to the accounting profession.
Week 1 of 4: Making History, Mentoring Others, Supporting Civil Rights, Presidential Consulting, and Leading in Higher Education
In 1921, John W. Cromwell Jr. became the first black American to earn the designation of CPA. His father was the chief examiner for the U.S. Post Office, and also an attorney, teacher, and political activist. After becoming a CPA, he continued to teach high school while practicing accountancy in the District of Columbia. He worked almost exclusively within the black community, serving lawyers, churches, restaurants, and funeral homes. In 1930, he became comptroller of Howard University. By the early 1960s, John Cromwell was still the only black CPA in the District of Columbia - some 40 years after he earned his license.
Mary T. Washington was the first African-American woman to be a certified public accountant in the United States. In 1939, she founded Washington, Pittman & McKeever, an accounting and management consulting firm providing businesses and individuals with audit, accounting, tax, and advisory services. Through her time at the firm, she trained a generation of younger black CPAs, setting an example by creating opportunities for others and generously supporting their careers, even after leaving her firm.
Richard H. Austin shined and sold shoes while studying at the Detroit Institute of Technology at night. After graduating from the Institute in 1937, he became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in 1941 (the first African American to do so in Michigan). Austin also became very active in political and civil rights groups in Detroit. In 1969, he was almost elected the city’s first black mayor. Two years later, Austin garnered a 300,000-vote majority over his opponent to become Michigan’s first African-American Secretary of State and was re-elected four times.
Professor Jesse B. Blayton was known as the "Dean of Negro Accountants" because he encouraged and trained numerous African-American CPAs. In 1928, Blayton successfully passed the Georgia accounting examination. This marked Blayton as the first African American in Georgia to be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and the fourth black CPA in the history of the United States. During the 1940s, Blayton and his firm consulted with cabinet members in President Franklin Roosevelt's administration regarding the impact of New Deal programs on the black community. In the 1960s, he and his Atlanta-based firm provided services to the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
In 1955, Dr. Larzette Hale became the first black female CPA to earn a Ph.D. in accounting. She was head of the Utah State University School of Accountancy for 13 years before retiring in 1990. She was also elected president of the American Woman's Society of Certified Public Accountants and became the first black person on the Utah Board of Regents of Higher Education. She wrote several articles in various business education journals, including The Balance Sheet and the Journal of Business.
Keep discovering: Celebrate Week 2 Highlights!
| Company | CPAacademy.org Honors Black History Month |
| Published Date | 01/31/2023 |
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