Azie Taylor Morton
| Azie Taylor Morton | |
|---|---|
 Official Portrait | |
| 36th Treasurer of the United States | |
|
In office September 12, 1977 – January 20, 1981 | |
| President | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Francine Irving Neff |
| Succeeded by | Angela Marie Buchanan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
February 1, 1936 Dale, Texas, U.S. |
| Died |
December 7, 2003 (aged 67) Bastrop County, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Spouse(s) | James Homer Morton |
| Religion | Baptist |
| Signature |
 |
Azie Taylor Morton (February 1, 1936 – December 7, 2003) served as Treasurer of the United States during the Carter administration from September 12, 1977 to January 20, 1981. She remains the only African American to hold that office. Her signature was printed on U.S. currency during her tenure; this is an honor she shared with four African-American men.[1]
Biography
Morton was born in Dale, Texas and graduated from Huston-Tillotson College in Austin. Her first job was teaching at a school for delinquent girls. Before becoming Treasurer, she served on President John F. Kennedy's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity. From 1972 to 1976, she was a special assistant to Robert Schwarz Strauss, then chair of the Democratic National Committee.[2] She was also an election observer for the presidential elections in Haiti, Senegal, and the Dominican Republic; a member of the American Delegation to Rome, Italy for the Enthronement of Pope John Paul II; chair of a People to People Mission to the Soviet Union and China; and a representative to the first African/African American Conference held in Africa. She was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
Azie Taylor married James Homer Morton on May 29, 1965. They had two daughters. On December 6, 2003, Morton suffered a stroke at her home in Bastrop County, Texas, and died of complications the next day.
References
- ↑ "African Americans on Currency". Archived from the original on 2007-05-15. Retrieved 2007-05-24.
- ↑ "Women in Government: A Slim Past, But a Strong Future". Ebony: 89–92, 96–98. August 1977.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Francine Irving Neff |
Treasurer of the United States 1977—1981 |
Succeeded by Angela Marie Buchanan |
