Zandra Flemister, the first black woman hired by the US Secret Service, has died at the age of 71. when posting GuardHe left behind a political career, a battle with Alzheimer’s, and a lawsuit that highlighted the widespread racism and discrimination he suffered during his time in the federal agency.
Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle said Flemister passed away last Tuesday.
Flemister began his stint with the Secret Service in 1974, four years before his transfer to the Foreign Service.
While working in the Secret Service, he took part in the protection of the family of US Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter.
She later said in court, “I … wanted to be a pioneer for other African American women,” where she also detailed the secret service’s culture of racial discrimination.
During his four years in the Secret Service, micro-aggressions, ultimatums, and hostile verbal comments about him followed.