Dr. Ruth Wright Hayre (1910-1998) was a distinguished educator and administrator in Philadelphia's public school system, as well as a philanthropist. Among her many firsts, Dr. Hayre was the first African American high school teacher in the School District of Philadelphia (William Penn High School, 1946) and the first female president of Philadelphia's Board of Education (1990). The Ruth Wright Hayre papers, 1926-1990, document the education and professional career of Dr. Hayre thoroughly, and also contain material about her family and the associations and organizations to which she belonged.
Held at: African American Museum in Philadelphia [Contact Us]