Long before boardrooms opened their doors to Black professionals and financial firms began to champion diversity, a young woman raised on Chicago’s South Side was already paving the way — with quiet determination, unmatched intellect, and a deep belief in the power of numbers to break barriers.
In the annals of accounting history, the name Mary T. Washington Wylie stands as a testament to resilience, grit, and trailblazing spirit. As the first Black woman in the nation to earn the coveted Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation, her legacy resonates not only through her professional achievements but also through her unwavering commitment to mentorship and community upliftment.
From Vicksburg to the South Side
Mary T. Washington Wylie was born on Saturday, April 21, 1906, in Vicksburg, Mississippi. After losing her mother at age six, she was raised by relatives in Chicago — a city that would shape her, and one she would go on to transform in return.
She excelled in math while attending Wendell Phillips High School, where her love for numbers took root. While still in school, she gained early accounting experience working at Douglas National Bank, one of the few Black-owned financial institutions on the South Side at the time.
Her work ethic quickly stood out. She caught the attention of Arthur J. Wilson, the first Black CPA in Illinois, who mentored her and encouraged her to pursue higher education in business. Mrs. Wylie went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in business from Northwestern University in 1941 — an extraordinary feat for a Black woman in that era.
Her personal life was marked by a commitment to family. She married her first husband, Seymour Washington, in 1927, and they had one son, Shepherd, before divorcing in 1935. Five years later, she married Donald Wylie Sr., becoming a mother to his son, Donald Jr.
Mr. Wylie was known to cook meals for Mrs. Wylie and her staff during tax season — a quiet act of care that supported her as she worked long hours building something greater than herself.
Together, the couple adopted Donald II, Melanie Blanks, and Ardelia Smith. Mr. Wylie passed away in 1992.
Over time, she would become known to the world as Mrs. Mary T. Washington Wylie — a name that came to symbolize excellence, compassion, and the power of forging new paths.
Making History
In 1943, before the age of 40, Mary T. Washington Wylie became the first Black woman CPA in the U.S., and the 13th Black CPA in the country. She achieved this at a time when both racial and gender barriers were firmly in place, and opportunity was rarely extended to people who looked like her.
So how did she do it?
First, she believed she could. Mary T. nurtured her mind with powerful thoughts about who she was and what was possible. She refused to let society define her limitations.
Second, she surrounded herself with the right people. She sought mentors, aligned herself with supporters, and later became that same source of light for countless others.
Third, she gave back. Her legacy wasn’t just about breaking barriers — it was about building bridges.
Building an “Underground Railroad” for Black CPAs
Mary began preparing tax returns for small businesses from a basement office on the South Side in the 1930s — but her vision was always bigger.
In 1968, she named one of her protégés, Hiram Pittman, as a partner, and the firm became Washington & Pittman. Pittman once described the firm as an “Underground Railroad” for aspiring Black CPAs. Many moved to Chicago just to work under Mary T. Washington Wylie, knowing that the hands-on experience her firm offered could be the key to earning their CPA license.
When Lester McKeever joined the partnership in 1976, it became Washington, Pittman & McKeever — a name that would become synonymous with excellence.
“Ms. Washington was a perfectionist and expected high performance. She was a taskmaster but she was also kind and nurturing,” reminisced Lester McKeever, one of the first 100 Black CPAs in the country, during an interview with Charlene Rhinehart in 2021. “She was responsible for so many young men and women becoming licensed CPAs. Her firm was the only place where someone could get experience even after passing the CPA exam. She always wanted to help and encourage young people, introduce them to the profession, and guide them.”
Under her leadership and beyond, the firm grew to become one of the largest Black-owned CPA firms in the United States. McKeever himself became managing partner of the firm, chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, and a trusted advisor on the Finance Transition Committees of Mayors Harold Washington and Richard M. Daley.
Chicago became a destination for Black professionals seeking opportunity, and Mary’s firm was a launchpad. Her dedication to advancing others transformed her workplace into a legacy-building institution — one that empowered dozens of Black CPAs who would go on to lead, mentor, and multiply their impact in the field.
A Legacy That Lives On
Mary T. Washington Wylie retired in 1985 after decades of breaking barriers and setting the standard for excellence in the profession. She passed away on July 2, 2005, at the age of 99 at the Brentwood Sub-Acute Healthcare Center in Burbank, Illinois — but her influence continues to shape the journeys of Black CPAs across the country.
In 2006, on what would have been her 100th birthday, Lester H. McKeever Jr., along with the Illinois CPA Society and the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois, established the Mary T. Washington Wylie Opportunity Fund. This initiative supports programs that promote diversity and strengthen the accounting profession.
In 2018, the City of Chicago declared September 30th as Mary T. Washington Wylie Day, honoring her indelible contributions to the city and the profession.
Mrs. Mary T. Washington Wylie was recently named the 124th inductee into the Accounting Hall of Fame by the American Accounting Association. Her official induction will take place in August 2025 at the organization’s Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois.
🗣 Know a business leader from the South Side? Tell us their story. Chicago Southsider is proud to carry on the legacy of Mary T. Washington Wylie by celebrating excellence in every field.
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