February 13, 2008
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Profile America for the 13th day of Black History Month. The fact that there werent too many opportunities open for him didnt bother Archie Alexander. He worked part-time jobs and saved up enough money to go to the University of Iowa, where he graduated with an engineering degree the first African-American to do so. Alexander went on to gain national recognition for his engineering designs, which included bridges, highways and tunnels, as well as apartment buildings and power plants. He also served briefly as governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands. In the U.S., 5 percent of civil engineers and nearly 4.5 percent of mechanical engineers are African- American. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.