SPRING 2021

MARTHA THOMAS FITZGERALD Class of 1916

First woman elected in a general election to the S.C. House of Representatives

Education ran in Fitzgerald’s blood. She earned a degree from Winthrop in 1916 and then two master’s degrees from the University of South Carolina and Columbia University, respectively. While she taught for some time, she turned to service through the state’s Department of Education, where she held roles such as school community organizer, rural school supervisor and director of elementary education.

Fitzgerald was elected to the S.C. House of Representatives in 1950, the first and only woman at the time. She served 11 terms representing Richland County. She advocated for the service of women as jury members and she supported higher pay for public school teachers.

MARGARET M. BRYANT Class of 1921

First graduate to earn a Ph.D.

Bryant nourished a love of language and learning, earning a degree with honors in 1921. She earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D., both from Columbia University, making her the first Winthrop graduate to earn a doctorate.

Throughout her career, Bryant lectured at universities in the Middle East, Australia, China, New Zealand and more. She was one of the original faculty members at Brooklyn College (now part of the City University of New York system), serving as chair of the Department of English, a role seldom provided to women at the time. She retired after 41 years and had authored 11 books and more than 100 scholarly articles.

Outside of the classroom, Bryant served as president of the American Association of University Women. The Margaret M. Bryant Professorship in English at Winthrop is in her honor.

MARY ELIZABETH BLANCHARD Class of 1948

First female obstetrician- gynecologist in South Carolina

Growing up in Bishopville, Blanchard considered herself competitive in sports and transferred that competitive spirit into her career. She graduated in 1948 and earned an M.D. from the Medical College of South Carolina, now known as MUSC.

She completed her residency at Temple University in obstetrics and gynecology, becoming the first female OB-GYN in South Carolina, and went on to practice for 30 years in Sumter.

Outside of work, Blanchard was active in the American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the South Atlantic Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which presented her in 2019 with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.

WINTHROP WOMEN MAKE HISTORY

SADIE LIVINGSTON BOYER Class of 1958

First female author of a NASA technical paper

In the 1950s and 60s – a time when few women achieved no- toriety in mathematics, science and engineering – Boyer rose steadily through the ranks at the NASA Langley Re- search Center. The Newberry native earned a degree in mathematics in 1958.

She began her career with NASA as a National Advi- sory Committee for Aeronautics mathematician in the Flight Research Division, where she became the first woman to be first author of a NASA technical paper. Boyer later worked in the Scientific Computer Division. She earned a number of awards throughout her ca- reer, including the NASA Exceptional Service Medal.

She and her husband established at Winthrop the Sa- die Livingston Boyer-Dale Boyer Endowed Scholarship to give other young women similar opportunities.

CYNTHIA PLAIR RODDEY ’67; DELORES JOHNSON HURT ’68; ARNETTA GLADDEN MACKEY ’67; SUE FRANCES MERIWETHER STEED ‘67

First women to integrate Winthrop

These four pioneering African-American women quietly integrated the Winthrop campus more than 50 years ago. The Roddey, Johnson, Gladden, Meriwether Endowed Scholarship was established to honor them and their contributions to Winthrop.

Roddey was Winthrop’s first African-American graduate student, and is acknowledged as the first African-American woman to enroll at the university. Hurt graduated with honors in 1968, and

she and Mackey were the first African-American undergraduate students to enroll. Steed was the first African-American student to earn a degree at Winthrop.

All four went on to successful careers in education (Roddey and Steed); education and journalism (Hurt); and chemical engineering (Mackey).

The S.C. House of Representatives passed a resolution praising the efforts of Roddey, Hurt, Mackey and Steed, and the women were present- ed with the resolution during a March 1 ceremony at Winthrop. Back row, left to right: S.C. Rep. Kambrell Garvin ’13, Interim President George Hynd and S.C Rep. John King. Front row, left to right: Gene Mackey, husband of the late Arnetta Mackey, Roddey and Hurt. Not pictured: Steed, far right, and other family members attended via Zoom.

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