Archie Alexander

Alphonse Archibald " Archie " Alexander ( born May 14, 1888 in Ottumwa, Iowa; † January 4, 1958 in Iowa) was an American civil engineer and politician. In 1954 and 1955 he was governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Career

Archie Alexander first visited several schools in Iowa. As one of the first African American he graduated from the University of Iowa and studied civil engineering there. In the meantime, he worked for the Des Moines National Bank. Later, he also worked for a construction company that built especially bridges. He saw his future career in the bridge architecture. This subject he studied in London and at the University of Iowa. In 1929 he founded the company Alexander & Repass, with which he remained connected for the rest of his life. The company built especially bridges and roads, as well as airfields and even the climate system of the Iowa State University.

In 1934 he was one of twelve members of a commission to investigate the social and economic conditions in Haiti. In 1946 he was awarded an honorary doctorate for the subject construction of Howard University in Washington DC appointed. Politically, he was a member of the Republican Party. In 1954, Alexander was appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower as the successor of Morris Fidanque de Castro governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands. This post he held between April 9, 1954, October 17, 1955. He was there the first Republican governor since the introduction of the civil administration in 1931., But Alexander quickly fell under the suspicion of his old business partner in construction at appropriate orders to prefer. These operations were even investigated by the U.S. House of Representatives. Then came Alexander, officially for health reasons, from his office. He died on 4 January 1958 in Iowa.