Clifford Alexander
*Clifford Alexander was born this date in 1933. He is a Black lawyer, businessman and public servant.
Clifford Leopold Alexander Jr. was born in New York City. His parents were Clifford Leopold Alexander and his wife. He attended the private Ethical Culture and Fieldston schools. Alexander graduated from Harvard College in 1955 and from Yale Law School in 1958. He enlisted in the New York National Guard in 1958 and served briefly with the 369th Field Artillery Battalion at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
He married Adele Logan in 1959. She became a professor at George Washington University after earning her doctorate in history and has specialized in African American history. They have a daughter, Elizabeth Alexander and son Mark C. Alexander. He served as an assistant district attorney for New York County, 1959–1961. He became executive director of the Manhattanville Hamilton Grange Neighborhood Conservation Project. He next served as program and executive director of Harlem Youth Opportunities. He also practiced law in New York City.
In 1963, Alexander was called to Washington to serve as a foreign affairs officer on the National Security Council staff. He served next as deputy special assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson, associate special counsel, and deputy special counsel on the White House staff, 1964–1967. Alexander was appointed as chairman of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 1967–1969. Acting as a special representative of the President, he headed the U.S. delegation to ceremonies marking the independence of the Kingdom of Swaziland in 1968. Leaving government service after Republican Richard M. Nixon was elected to the presidency, he practiced law with the Washington firm of Arnold and Porter between 1969 and 1975.
He was a television news commentator in Washington, D.C., 1972–1976; and also taught as a professor of law at Howard University, 1973–1974. In 1974 he ran unsuccessfully as a candidate for mayor of the District of Columbia. Alexander returned to law, becoming a partner in the law firm of Verner, Lipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand in 1975. In 1977, He was Secretary of the Army under the Carter Administration, serving until January 20, 1981, the first Black appointed to this Cabinet position. During this time, he concentrated upon improving the all-volunteer Army, stressing programs to enhance professionalism, and emphasizing the award of contracts to minority businesses to fulfill the federal commitment to encourage diversity. In 1981 Alexander formed the consulting firm of Alexander and Associates. He is a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
In the early 21st century, Alexander has been outspoken in his opposition to the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of the military. He called for its repeal by Congress. His daughter Elizabeth Alexander was commissioned to write and present a poem for President Barack Obama's presidential inauguration and recited the poem "Praise Song for the Day" on January 20, 2009. His son Mark C. Alexander is dean at the Villanova University School of Law. He has also served as a political and campaign advisor to Bill Bradley, Ted Kennedy, and President Obama.