“If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” —Shirley Chisholm.

Azie Morton was the first and only black American to serve as U.S. Treasurer! She was appointed by President Jimmy Carter in 1977, she served as the 36th Treasurer until January 20, 1981. All bills 💵printed during that time has her signature on it. #WomenHistoryMonth —Azie Taylor Morton was born in Dale, Texas, to Fleta Hazel Taylor. She did not know who her father was. Azie was raised by her maternal grandparents, and because there was no high school for African Americans in Dale, she attended high school at a charity sponsored school for black children in Austin called the Texas Blind, Deaf, and Orphan School. She graduated there at the age of 16 with high grades, and enrolled at Huston-Tillotson, an all-black college in Austin, where she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commercial Education in 1956. Morton spent a short time teaching at a state supported school for delinquent girls after she graduated from college in 1956. In 1957, Azie applied and was hired as a staff member for the new Texas AFL-CIO, a major labor union. She later moved to Washington DC to serve on President John F. Kennedy's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity (EEOC) beginning her twenty years of service in the public sector. On September 12, 1977, President Jimmy Carter on appointed Azie Taylor Morton as the United States' 36th Treasurer. Azie served as Treasurer until January 20, 1981. The Treasurer must sign Federal Reserve notes before they can become legal thus, Morton's signature was on U.S. currency for three years! Azie also served on the Austin Housing Authority Board of Commissioners (HACA) from 1999 to 2001. Consequently, the HACA set up the Azie Taylor Morton Scholarship Fund after her death, donating $5,000 in her name to provide scholarships for low-income students attending Huston-Tillotson College. In April 2018, Robert E. Lee Road in Austin, Texas was renamed Azie Morton Road in her honor. — with Steven Woodson. 🖊️As the only admin behind this page, I try to research to educate. If you appreciate this effort, you can support to help the page thrive on ko-fi.com/africanarchives. Your support is deeply appreciated! (Or just the ko-fi page for articles/posts roundup)