This week in Black history

Jet, August 9, 2004

August 6, 1979--

Joyce London Alexander was sworn in as the first African-American woman U.S. magistrate judge in Boston on this day. Alexander took the oath of office when she was 30 years old, making her one of the youngest people to serve in this capacity. Alexander made history again in January of 1996 when she was sworn in as Chief United States Magistrate Judge. She was the first African-American woman to serve in this office also. Alexander graduated from Howard University in 1969 and New England Law School in 1972.

August 7, 1948--

Alice Coachman became the first Black woman to win an Olympic Gold medal in the high jump at the Summer Games in London on this day. In the first Olympics held after World War II, Coachman leapt 5 feet and 6 1/8 inches, which set a new record that year. She was the only American woman to win a track event at the games. Coachman's victory was the reward for years of hard work-since she was not allowed to practice high jumps in the segregated public facilities of Albany, GA. She ran barefoot on the town's back roads, hurdling over strings, ropes, sticks and other makeshift high-jump bars. Coachman went on to win 25 national championships in track, including a still-standing record of 10 consecutive high jump titles. Coachman briefly attended Tuskegee Institute and earned a bachelor's degree at Albany State in Georgia. After Coachman's historic win, she retired from competitive track and became a coach and schoolteacher. Coachman was recently inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.