Years of service 1965–1997 Education Spelman College Rank Major General Battles and wars Vietnam War | Battles/wars Vietnam War Name Marcelite Harris | |
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Born January 16, 1943 (age 81)
Houston, Texas ( 1943-01-16 ) Allegiance United States of America Awards Legion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (4)
Air Force Commendation Medal (2)
National Defense Service Medal (2)
Vietnam Service Medal (3)
Vietnam Campaign Medal Unit United States Air Force Academy | ||
Service/branch United States Air Force | ||
Major General Marcelite J. Harris (born January 16, 1943, Houston, Texas) became the first African-American female general officer of the United States Air Force. She was born Marcelite Jordan to Cecil O'Neal Jordan and Marcelite Terrill Jordan, Sr.
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Education and early career
Marcelite Jordan graduated from Spelman College, earning her B.A. in speech and drama in 1964. She was commissioned through Officer Training School, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas in 1965 and held a variety of assignments in the Air Force. Marcelite Harris’s career included many “firsts”, as she was the first female aircraft maintenance officer, one of the first two female air officers commanding at the United States Air Force Academy, and the Air Force’s first female Director of Maintenance. She served as a White House social aide during the Carter administration. Her service medals and decorations include the Bronze Star, the Presidential Unit Citation, and the Vietnam Service Medal. Harris retired as a major general in 1997, the highest ranking female officer in the Air Force and the Nation’s highest ranking African American woman in the Department of Defense. Upon retirement from the Air Force, Harris served NASA as the Florida Site Director and Logistics Process Owner for United Space Alliance, the company managing the Nation’s Shuttle Program. Besides her Spelman B.A., she holds a B.S. in Business Management from the University of Maryland University College. In 1999, Harris was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Spelman College. Harris is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
Current work
Major General Harris is now Treasurer of the Atlanta Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and serves as a Director on the Board of Peachtree Hope Charter School. Also, as of September 15, 2010, General Harris was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as a member of the Board of Visitors for the United States Air Force Academy. The Board inquires into the morale, discipline, curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, academic methods and other matters relating to the Academy which the Board decides to consider. The Board meets at least four times per year, with at least two of those meetings at the Academy. The Board prepares semi-annual reports containing its views and recommendations pertaining to the Academy. Each written report is submitted concurrently to the Secretary of Defense, through the Secretary of the Air Force, and to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
Personal
Gen. Harris was married to Maurice A. Harris (deceased). They have three adult children; a son, Steven, and daughters, Tenecia and Sherri.