Aris T. Allen (December 27, 1910 – February 8, 1991) was an American politician who was the first African-American chair of the Maryland Republican party and the first to run for a statewide office in Maryland.

Background

Aris Allen was born in

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...

, Texas, on December 27, 1910. He attended public schools in San Antonio and Washington, D.C., and graduated from Dunbar High School in Washington. He attended Howard University and Howard University Medical School, earning an

M.D. Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. T ...

in 1944. Allen was president of his class at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Allen married Faye E. Watson in 1947; the couple had two children. Allen served as a pilot in a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

Specialized Training Program in 1942, and was an Air Force flight surgeon from 1953 to 1955.

Medicine

Allen started his medical career as a medical resident at Freedman's Hospital, Washington, D.C., in 1944 and 1945, then went into private practice in

Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

. He received the Maryland Medical Association award for outstanding achievements in medicine and civic affairs in 1967. He was also the medical affairs advisor to the Health Care Financing Administration in Maryland from 1981 to 1989, a member of the Board of Medical Examiners of Maryland, and director of the Health Standards and Quality Board of the Health Care Financing Administration. He was a board member of the Maryland Academy of Family Physicians and president of the medical staff of Anne Arundel Medical Center.

Education

Allen devoted much of his time to the education of youth in Maryland. He was the first African American to be appointed to the Anne Arundel County Board of Education, was a member of the board of the

Anne Arundel Community College Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) is a public community college in Arnold, Maryland. The college was founded in 1961 and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The community college offers letters of recognition, 4 ...

, a Trustee of the

Anne Arundel County Public Library Anne Arundel County Public Library (AACPL) is a public library system located in central Maryland. Established in 1921 as the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Public Library, Inc, the system now includes 16 locations throughout Anne Arundel Count ...

, and was vice chair for the board of regents at Morgan State University.

Civic involvement

Allen served on the boards of the

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...

, the Salvation Army, the Community Chest of Anne Arundel County, the

Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...

, the Annapolis Chamber of Commerce and the Annapolis chapter of the

American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. Established in 1913, the society is organized into six geographical regions of both medical and lay volunteers operating in more than ...

; he was a life member of the

NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&nb ...

, a member of

Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. () is the oldest intercollegiate historically African American fraternity. It was initially a literary and social studies club organized in the 1905–1906 school year at Cornell University but later evolved int ...

fraternity (Eta Eta Lambda chapter), and a member of the Board of stewards for his church, Mount Moriah A. M. E.

In the legislature

Allen first served in the House of Delegates representing Anne Arundel County from 1967 to 1974 and then from 1990 to 1991. During his tenure in the House he was Minority whip from 1967 to 1974 and a member of the Constitutional and Administrative Law Committee, 1967–74. In the Maryland Senate he served on the Finance Committee from 1979 to 1981. * 1990 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 30 ::Voters to choose three: :

Republican activist

Chair, Maryland state Republican Party. Chair of the Maryland delegates to the Republican National Convention, 1972. NAACP county conference award, 1976. Chair, Republican State Central Committee, 1977–79. Rotary International Paul Harris Fellowship, 1978. Candidate for lieutenant governor of Maryland, 1978. Convention secretary, Republican National Convention, 1980. :Gubernatorial General Election Results, 1978 :

Legacy

Dr. Allen died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after being ill with cancer in Annapolis, February 8, 1991. A freeway, Aris T. Allen Boulevard (

Maryland Route 665 Maryland Route 665 (MD 665) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as Aris T. Allen Boulevard, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 50 (US 50)/US 301 in Parole east to Bywater Road and Forest Drive in Annapolis. MD 665 is a fo ...

), is named for Allen, who died the year prior to its completion. State officials planned to erect a memorial to Allen in the median of his namesake boulevard, but the memorial was placed in a nearby park so that his wife could visit. The text of the memorial reads:

"A man of honor...A distinguished career of professional and public service...As a Medical Doctor...As a member of the Maryland State Legislature...As an appointee of The President of the United States, to serve his Country on the National level...And as a caring person who has served his community in so many other ways...To help people in need...To provide opportunity for every citizen..."And to set an example that brings out the very best in us".

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Aris T. 1910 births 1991 suicides Politicians from San Antonio African-American United States Air Force personnel African-American state legislators in Maryland 20th-century African-American physicians 20th-century American physicians American primary care physicians American politicians who committed suicide Howard University College of Medicine alumni Republican Party Maryland state senators Republican Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates Military personnel from Texas State political party chairs of Maryland Suicides by firearm in Maryland Physicians from Maryland Physicians from Texas United States Army officers United States Air Force officers 20th-century American politicians 20th-century African-American politicians African-American men in politics African-American United States Army personnel African Americans in World War II