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 3 of 4: WWII General, Higher Education Advocate, Minority-Owned Firm Titan, AICPA Chairwoman, and Ivy League Author
In 1929, Wilmer F. Lucas became the first African American CPA in New York. He helped to open up the profession to other African Americans. Later, during WWII, Lucas served as a general with the Unites States military, earning the distinguished Legion of Merit.
Dr. Milton Wilson was one of the nation’s first 100 African American CPAs and the first in Texas. Dr. Wilson's vision and commitment to excellence in higher education at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) resulted in him leading two universities (Howard University and Texas Southern University) to earn accreditation from the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
Raised on a farm in Jamaica, Bert Mitchell immigrated with his parents and six siblings to the United States in 1958. Through hard work and dedication, he earned his CPA certification as well as an MBA degree. He partnered with Robert P. Titus to found Mitchell & Titus, LLP in 1972, which became the largest minority-owned accounting firm in the United States. Bert became the first African American to serve on the American Institute of CPAs’ board of directors. He was also elected President of the New York State Society of CPAs, which was the largest society of CPAs in the United States.
Kimberly N. Ellison-Taylor, CPA, CGMA, is a previous Chairwoman of the American Institute of CPAs' Board of Directors. Working with various teams worldwide, she developed and executed important initiatives that helped to progress the field of accounting. She has a wide array of experience, ranging from working for NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center to KPMG in areas such as cloud computing, security, fraud prevention, and big data.
Cornel West is a prominent and provocative democratic intellectual. He is a Professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy at Harvard University and holds the title of Professor Emeritus at Princeton University. He has written 20 books, including Race Matters, Democracy Matters, and, for his memoir, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud. Dr. West is a frequent guest on the Bill Maher Show, CNN, C-Span, and Democracy Now.
In case you missed it: Celebrate Week 2 Highlights!
Keep discovering: Celebrate Week 4 Highlights!
| Company | CPAacademy.org Honors Black History Month |
| Published Date | 02/15/2023 |
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