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Opening doors for others: The first Black woman to become a CPA
By Anita Dennis
Mary T. Washington Wylie in 1943 became the nation’s first Black woman to earn the CPA license, a notable achievement in a remarkable life filled with many accomplishments. Washington Wylie also made it her life’s mission to hire and mentor Black aspiring CPAs. Her story illustrates the importance of early Black CPAs’ success and the advances they made for future generations of accountants.
A decision to pay it forward
Born in Mississippi, Washington Wylie (1906–2005) was a child when she was sent to live in Chicago with her grandparents after her mother’s death. Eager to escape a home life with an abusive grandmother, she was about to drop out of high school in her junior year, but a caring teacher took her in so she could finish her studies. “I think this was life-changing for her and helped her to become a giver,” said Washington Wylie’s granddaughter, Angie Spencer. “She decided
Meet The First Black Woman to Become a Certified Public Accountant in the United States
(Image Credit: Courtesy of Illinois CPA Society)
Mary T. Washington Wylie made history when she became the first Black woman Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the United States. She was also the 13th Black CPA in the country.
Wylie’s CPA designation and accounting firm opened the doors for the next generation of Black CPAs. It became the learning laboratory that gave birth to many of the first 100 Black CPAs in the country.
“Ms. Washington was a perfectionist and expected high-performance. She was a taskmaster but she was also kind and nurturing,” says Lester McKeever, one of the first 100 Black CPAs and former chairman of the Chicago Federal Reserve. “She was responsible for so many young men and women becoming licensed CPAs. Her firm was the only place where someone could get experience even after passing the CPA exam. She always wanted to help and encourage young people, introduc