Marcia Anderson
Marcia Anderson | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg?lang=en) Anderson at Fort Bragg in 2014 | |
| Born | 1957 (age 67–68) Beloit, Wisconsin |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1976–2016 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (3) Army Commendation Medal Achievement Medal |
Marcia Carol Martin Anderson (née Mahan; born 1957) is a retired senior officer of the United States Army Reserve. She was the first African-American woman to become a major general in the United States Army Reserve.
Early life
[edit]Anderson was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, and finished school in St. Louis, Missouri.[1][2] Her father served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, working as a truck driver.[3] Anderson was commissioned into the U.S. Army through the ROTC program at Creighton University.[4]
Career
[edit]As a civilian, Anderson served as Clerk of Court for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.[5]
Anderson is a 1979 graduate of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, a 1986 graduate of Rutgers School of Law–Newark in New Jersey, and a 2003 graduate of the United States Army War College. She is married to Amos Charles Anderson.[6][7][8] She originally signed up for the Reserve Officers' Training Corps at Creighton University because she needed a science credit.[2]
In 2011, Anderson became the first African-American woman to achieve the federally recognized rank of major general in the US Army, US Army Reserve and the US Army National Guard.[5][9][10]
Anderson retired from the reserve army in 2016 and from her civilian job in 2019.[11][12] She has since been awarded the Maj. Gen. James Earl Rudder Medal and been inducted into the Army Women's Foundation Hall of Fame.[13]
Since 2021, she has served as a member of the Green Bay Packers Executive Committee. [14] In 2024 she was chosen to be the ship sponsor for the USS Beloit.[13]
Personal life
[edit]Anderson lives in Wisconsin with her husband Amos Charles Anderson; the couple have no children of their own.[15] An uncle was head of the Africana department at Southern Illinois University.[16]
Awards
[edit]Anderson's military awards and decorations include the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Parachutist Badge, and the Physical Fitness Badge.[17]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Barrouquere, Brett; Verburg, Steven (September 29, 2011). "Wisconsin native promoted to become highest-ranking black woman in Army". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved 2011-10-04.
- ^ a b McGregor, Jena. "Getting more women into Army leadership". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2014-06-04.
- ^ "Highest-ranking black woman promoted by Army - Associated Press - Brett Barrouquere". Kentucky New Era. September 30, 2011. p. 4. Retrieved 2025-03-27. & "ARMY: Marcia Anderson becomes highest ranking black female". Kentucky New Era. September 30, 2011. p. 9.
- ^ Edwards, Breanna (June 13, 2014). "Army's highest-ranking black woman stays hopeful". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. pp. A021. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
- ^ a b "Major General Marcia M. Anderson was the First African American female major general in the U.S. Army". Army.mil. Archived from the original on 2014-06-04. Retrieved 2014-06-04.
- ^ "Q & A". Q-and-a.org. December 11, 2011. Retrieved 2014-11-27.
- ^ "Newsletter" (PDF). Law.Newark.Rutgers.edu. Rutgers School of Law-Newark. June 2008. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
Marcia Anderson '86 has been confirmed as a brigadier general in the Army Reserve, the first African-American woman to hold that rank. In her civilian life, she is a Bankruptcy Court clerk.
- ^ "Lecture highlights women in the military". The Creightonian. April 14, 2014. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
- ^ "HRC deputy becomes Army's first female African-American major general | Article". Army.mil. Retrieved 2014-06-04.
- ^ Marie, Nicole (October 2, 2011). "US Army Selects First Black Female Major General". Essence.com. Retrieved 2014-06-04.
- ^ Journal, Steven Verburg | Wisconsin State. "Army general from Wisconsin retires with an eye to helping others". madison.com. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
- ^ "Lockheed Martin-Led Team Begins Construction On Navy's Littoral Combat Ship, The Future USS Beloit". sdquebec.ca. July 24, 2020. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
- ^ a b "First Black woman major general honored as sponsor for US combat ship". Yahoo News. November 24, 2024. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
- ^ "Packers.com, the official website of the Green Bay Packers". www.packers.com. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
- ^ Wagner, Amanda N. (February 2008). "Sitting at the table, front and center" (PDF). Wisconsin Woman. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2011-10-04.
- ^ "Army Reserves great gift for Anderson - Linda Rush". Southern Illinoisan. February 21, 2012. p. 13. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
- ^ usar.army.mil Archived 2012-03-25 at the Wayback Machine
External links
[edit]
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Paving the way for women’s success in army interview with Melissa Harris-Perry, February 15, 2014
- "PN591 – 21 nominees for Army, 112th Congress (2011–2012)". www.congress.gov. June 30, 2011. Retrieved 2018-03-01.
- 1957 births
- Living people
- African-American female military personnel
- Female generals of the United States Army
- 20th-century American women lawyers
- 20th-century American lawyers
- Creighton University alumni
- People from Beloit, Wisconsin
- Military personnel from Wisconsin
- People from East St. Louis, Illinois
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- Rutgers School of Law–Newark alumni
- 21st-century African-American women
- 20th-century African-American military personnel
- 20th-century African-American women
- Military personnel from Illinois
- African-American United States Army personnel
- 21st-century American women lawyers
- 21st-century American lawyers
- 21st-century African-American lawyers
- United States Army War College alumni