Alexander, Raymond Pace, 1898-1974

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Raymond Pace Alexander (October 13, 1897 – November 24, 1974) was an American civil rights leader, lawyer, politician, and the first African American judge appointed to the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas. A native Philadelphian, he was born in 1897 into a large working class family. He graduated from Central High School in 1917; entered the University of Pennsylvania in the fall of 1917; graduated from the Wharton School in 1920 and from Harvard Law School in June 1923.

He was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar and entered practice in August 1923, specializing in criminal law. He began his career in the office of John R.K. Scott, a successful trial lawyer. In November, 1923, he married Sadie Tanner Mossell. Mrs. Alexander joined her husband’s practice after she obtained her law degree in 1927. In the late ‘twenties, Raymond established his own offices in rented quarters on Chestnut Street, remaining there until 1935, when he moved into the new building he had built at 1900 Chestnut Street in Center City. Between 1924 and 1950, he served as an advocate in a number of important civil cases involving issues of racial discrimination and segregation in public accommodations. He was also a defense attorney in numerous criminal cases, many of which involved a racial aspect or civil rights issue. Some of his cases were highly sensational and his success in litigation brought him a great deal of publicity.

From 1949 to 1951, he was active in the Clark- Dilworth reform democratic movement, supporting the Home Rule Charter for Philadelphia. In 1951, he won election to City Council under the new charter. He was re-elected to Council in 1955. From 1952 to 1956, he chaired the Committee on Recreation, and from 1956 to 1959, the Committee on Public Property and Public Works. In January, 1959, he was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Court of Common Pleas No. 4 by Governor George M. Leader. He was elected to a full ten-year term on the Court in the following November. After his term expired in 1970, he continued in the capacity of Senior Judge until his death in 1974.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander Papers University of Pennsylvania Library
referencedIn Arthur E. Sutherland papers Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
referencedIn Williams, Camilla (Mrs. Charles Beaver). Papers. 1944-1979. Tulane University, Amistad Research Center
referencedIn Sutherland, Arthur E., 1902-1973. Papers of Arthur Eugene Sutherland, 1923-1972 (inclusive), 1950-1972 (bulk). Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Sadie and Raymond Alexander Joint Papers University of Pennsylvania Library
referencedIn Juanita Kidd Stout Papers, 1873-1998, (bulk 1948-1997) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Logan, Floyd L., 1901-1978. Papers, 1922-1978. Temple University Libraries, Paley Library
creatorOf Raymond Pace Alexander Papers University of Pennsylvania Library
referencedIn Looby, Z. Alexander (Zephaniah Alexander), 1899-1972. Zephaniah Alexander Looby papers, 1922-1981. John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin Library. Special Collections & Archives
referencedIn The Nation, records, 1879-1974 (inclusive), 1920-1955 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Marian Anderson papers University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Harvard University Archives Photograph Collection: Portraits, ca. 1852-ca. 2004 Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn The Nation, records, 1879-1974 (inclusive), 1920-1955 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Lyon, Marvin P., 1969-. Raymond Pace Alexander : Meeting the challenge of the black attorney. University of Pennsylvania, Archives & Records Center
referencedIn Alexander family. Papers, 1912-1983. University of Pennsylvania, Archives & Records Center
referencedIn Harris, Helen Curl. Helen Curl Harris papers, 1936-1980. Emory University. Special Collections and Archives
referencedIn Horace Mann Bond Papers, 1830-1979, 1926-1972 Special Collections and University Archives, UMass Amherst Libraries
referencedIn Atlanta University Photographs Atlanta University Center, Robert W. Woodruff Library
referencedIn Paul A. Freund papers Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
referencedIn Bank, Steven A., 1969-. The Dilemma of the NAACP : A Case study : the Trenton six 1948-1953 / By Steven A. Bank, 1991. University of Pennsylvania, Archives & Records Center
referencedIn Judicial Council of the National Bar Association (1970- ). Records. 1970-1977. Tulane University, Amistad Research Center
referencedIn Scott, Austin Wakeman. Austin Wakeman Scott papers. 1906-1979. Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
referencedIn National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Philadelphia Branch Records, 1943-2016, bulk 1943-1991 Temple University Libraries Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn Alexander, Raymond Pace (only) Harry S. Truman Library
creatorOf Alexander family papers relating to Henry Ossawa Tanner Archives of American Art
referencedIn Juanita Kidd Stout Papers, 1873-1998, (bulk 1948-1997) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Alexander family. family
associatedWith Alexander family. family
spouseOf Alexander, Sadie Tanner Mossell, 1898-1989. person
sibling of Alexander, Virginia Margaret, 1900-1949 person
associatedWith Atlanta University Center (Ga.) corporateBody
associatedWith Bank, Steven A., 1969- person
associatedWith Bond, Horace Mann, 1904-1972 person
parentOf Brown, Mary Elizabeth Alexander, 1934- person
parent-in-law of Epps, Archie C. person
associatedWith Fellowship House (Philadelphia, Pa.) corporateBody
associatedWith Harris, Helen Curl. person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Harvard Law School corporateBody
associatedWith Judicial Council of the National Bar Association (1970- ) corporateBody
associatedWith Logan, Floyd L., 1901-1978. person
correspondedWith Looby, Z. Alexander (Zephaniah Alexander), 1899-1972. person
associatedWith Lyon, Marvin P., 1969- person
associatedWith National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Philadelphia Branch (Pa.) corporateBody
memberOf National Bar Association corporateBody
associatedWith Nation (New York, N.Y. : 1865). corporateBody
associatedWith Paul A. Freund person
memberOf Philadelphia (Pa.). City Council corporateBody
associatedWith Scott, Austin Wakeman, 1884-1981 person
correspondedWith Stout, Juanita Kidd, 1919-1998. person
associatedWith Sutherland, Arthur E., 1902-1973. person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf University of Pennsylvania. corporateBody
alumnusOrAlumnaOf University of Pennsylvania. Wharton School corporateBody
associatedWith Williams, Camilla (Mrs. Charles Beaver) person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Philadelphia PA US
Philadelphia PA US
United States 00 US
Subject
Occupation
Judges
Lawyers
Activity

Person

Information

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