September 22, 2024
Alexander made her historic appearance after the soda company decided to create marketing material for ‘Negro’ customers.
Mary Cowser Alexander, a small yet recognizable figure of Black history, has died at age 90. The educator was notably the first Black woman to model in a Coca-Cola ad in 1955.
Alexander, the daughter of farmers from the small town of Ballplay, Alabama, pursued her ambitions by studying at the then-Clark College in Atlanta, where she gained valuable experiences and advanced her career in education.
Alexander made her historic debut when the soda company chose to develop marketing materials aimed at “Negro” customers. According to AL.com, her father supported her entry into the ad competition after she learned of a substantial prize equivalent to a year’s college tuition. Upon winning, Alexander was featured in a yellow dress sitting alongside two male Black models, all holding glass bottles of Coca-Cola.
With this advertisement, Alexander emerged as a symbol of diversity and representation, especially during a time of racial inequality.
However, that was not the only “first” she would acquire during her lifetime. Alexander later became the first African-American female school administrator in Michigan. This position led to her appointment as the first female principal at Highland Park High School. According to her son, Detroit minister Richard Lane, she went into recruiting, helping Black students in Detroit advance their own professional careers.
The model and educator died on Sept. 19 from a heart attack. She had been suffering from scleroderma, a chronic and incurable autoimmune disease. While Lane remains saddened to see his mother gone, he maintains that her life and legacy continue on.
“It’s a slow, painful killer, and there’s no cure for it,” Lane shared. “But she’s got to be the strongest woman I’ve ever known. [Alexander] suffered gracefully. She rarely complained [and] was a woman of faith. She loved her husband and loved her family, and just was an inspiration to so many.”
Upon the news of Alexander’s passing, Coca-Cola also released a statement. The company shared that she was a pioneer for “the future of inclusive advertising.”
“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Mary Alexander, an extraordinary woman who has left a positive impact on our company and those lucky enough to have known her,” they wrote. “Her historic advertisement marked a significant moment not just for The Coca-Cola Company, but for the future of inclusive advertising, and helped to dismantle racial barriers. We extend our heartfelt sympathies and sincere condolences to her family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
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