Accomplishments:
- Spoke for Gerald Ford at the Republican National Convention in 1976
- Named by Esquire magazine as one 12 outstanding women politicians in 1975
- First African American woman on City Council
- The Dr. Ethel Allen Promise Academy, an elementary school in Strawberry Mansion, is named in Allen’s honor.
Final Word: According to an Inquirer story after her death, “When Dr. Ethel D. Allen tackled a problem, which was often, she did so with enthusiasm and vigor that inspired others to join in the endeavor. When she sought to remedy an injustice, which was frequently, she held unwaveringly to the view that this world can be made a better place if people work hard enough and resolve firmly to make it so.”
Reporting by Aly Kerrigan and Ethan Young.