Mary Cowser Alexander, an iconic figure who made history as the first Black woman to model in a Coca-Cola advertisement, has passed away at the age of 90.
The educator and trailblazer died on September 19, 2024, from a heart attack after battling scleroderma, an incurable autoimmune disease.
Born to farmers in Ballplay, Alabama, Alexander pursued her education at Clark College in Atlanta, where she built the foundation for a career that would merge modeling and education.
In 1955, she made history by becoming the face of Coca-Cola’s first ad featuring Black Americans, developed to target the “Negro” market.
Posing in a yellow dress with two Black male models, she became a symbol of representation and diversity in a racially divided era.
Alexander’s pioneering spirit extended far beyond her modeling achievement. She became the first African American female school administrator in Michigan and later served as the first female principal at Highland Park High School.
Her dedication to education and recruiting helped countless Black students in Detroit advance their professional careers.
Her son, Detroit minister Richard Lane, reflected on her resilience and strength:
“She’s got to be the strongest woman I’ve ever known. She rarely complained and was a woman of faith.”
Coca-Cola released a statement mourning her loss and acknowledging her role in shaping the future of inclusive advertising:
“Her historic advertisement marked a significant moment not just for The Coca-Cola Company, but for the future of inclusive advertising.”
