The Faces of Science: African Americans in the Sciences
Archibald "Archie" Alexander was born in Iowa in 1888. He attended Iowa State University and received a civil engineering degree in 1912. In 1914, as a designer for the Marsh Engineering Company, he was responsible for the design of the Tidal Basin Bridge in Washington, D.C. and the K Street Freeway. He studied bridge design at the University of London in 1921. After several years as a design engineer he and George Higbee, a former university classmate, formed a general contracting business which specialized in the design and construction of steel and concrete bridges. The engineering firm constructed major development projects across the United States. Starting in Iowa, their construction firm built
•the heating plant and power station for the University of Iowa
•a sewage treatment plant in Grand Rapids, Michigan
•an airfield in Tuskegee, Alabama
•Tidal Basin bridge and seawall in Washington, D.C.
•Whitehurst Freeway in Washington, D.C.
Alexander received many awards during the course of his career. At the centennial celebration of the University of Iowa he received an award as an Outstanding Alumi. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower honored Alexander with the appointment as the first Republican Territorial Governor of the Virgin Islands, 1954-1955.
Memberships
•Honorary Civil Engineering Degree, The University of Iowa.
•Member and founder of the Omega Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
•Awarded the Laurel Wreath by Kappa Alpha Psi for most outstanding accomplishment, 1926.
•Spingarn Medal (1928) -- given by NAACP for the highest achievement of a black man
•Named One of the first 100 citizens of merit among the University of Iowa's 30,000 alumni.
•Trustee of Tuskegee Institute
•Honorary Doctor of Civil Engineering, Howard University (1946)