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Anita Mackey

Anita Mackey
Born
Anita Johnson Mackey

(1914-01-01)January 1, 1914
Riverside, California, U.S.
Died(2024-04-16)April 16, 2024
(aged 110 years, 106 days)
EducationUniversity of Chicago School of Social Service Administration
University of Redlands
OccupationSocial worker
Known forFirst African American supervisor at the United States Department of Veteran Affairs
Spouse
Harvey A. Mackey
​
​
(m. 1937; died 1986)​
AwardsSanta Barbara Council of Social Services Award (1972)
Santa Barbara Woman of the Year (1976)

Anita Johnson Mackey (January 1, 1914 – April 16, 2024) was an American social worker and supercentenarian, who worked on numerous boards and commissions, in 1953, she became the first African-American supervisor at the VA’s Los Angeles outpatient clinic.[1][2]

Biography

Mackey was born in Riverside, California on January 1, 1914.[3][1][4] The granddaughter of an emancipated slave,[2] Mackey was one of eight children born to Frank Hannibal Johnson and Anna Elizabeth Ewing Johnson. Her mother died when she was ten so an older sister raised her along with their father.[4]

Her undergraduate degree in speech was from the University of Redlands, class of 1937.[1] After she married in 1937, she taught first grade until she attended the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. She earned a master's degree in medical social work in 1941.[5][6]

After working for the American Red Cross and then the Veterans Administration,[7] she retired from the VA in 1976.[1] When the VA opened a location in Santa Barbara, California, she moved there in 1964 to work.[2] She taught courses in African-American culture at Santa Barbara City College.[8] She met Queen Elizabeth II in Santa Barbara in 1983.[9]

Awards and honors

Mackey received the Santa Barbara Council on Social Services Award for Distinguished Service in 1972; she was also made an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by Andrews University, and an Honorary Member of Delta Kappa.[1] In 1976, she was awarded Santa Barbara Woman of the Year.[1]

Personal life and death

Johnson married Harvey A. Mackey, a Chicago postal worker, in 1937. In 1954, they mentored and sponsored a 22-year-old Nigerian student named Olu Ola Adekanmbi, who would later earn a Ph.D. and become a college professor; she was also close to his son, Alexander.[9][10] Mackey was an active member of her Adventist church and a vegetarian. She was an extensive world traveler since she was 23, and via her church missions and travels, visited all seven continents and 130 countries.[2][11]

Mackey's husband died in 1986.[7] She died on April 16 2024, at the age of 110 years, 106 days.[12][13] Her papers are at the University of California, Santa Barbara.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Meet 100-Year-Old California Social Worker Anita J. Mackey". National Association of Social Workers California chapter. July 7, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Hayden, Tyler (June 16, 2021). "Santa Barbara's Black Icons". Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  3. ^ Jeffrey, Connie (January 2, 2019). "Teacher, Traveller, Social Worker, Friend: Anita Johnson Mackey Turns 105". Southern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Anita J. Mackey". University of California, Santa Barbara Library. August 19, 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  5. ^ The University of Chicago Magazine. Vol. 96. University of Chicago, Alumni Association. 2003. pp. 62, 74 – via Google books.
  6. ^ "Pictorial Features Riverside Girl". Riverside Daily Press. December 12, 1946. p. 22. Retrieved August 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b Corrigan, Kelly (January 2, 2014). "Glendale resident celebrates a century of life". Glendale News-Press. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  8. ^ "Instructor at Event". The Solano-Napa News Chronicle. April 4, 1969. p. 7. Retrieved August 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ a b Hensley, Brandon (January 17, 2013). "An (Almost) Century of Service". Crescenta Valley Weekly.
  10. ^ Troutman, Andrea (April 19, 1987). "Retiree works to strengthen black families". The Los Angeles Times. pp. 493, [1]. Retrieved August 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "World Traveling". Los Angeles Tribune. April 28, 1951. p. 6. Retrieved August 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "2024 validations – Gerontology Research Group". Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  13. ^ Celebration of Life, Anita Mackey, a memorial service live-streamed by the Vallejo Drive Church SDA, via YouTube
  14. ^ "Anita J. Mackey". UCSB Library. August 19, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
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