Abstract
This essay discusses the early life, education, and career of African American correctional leader Margaret Moore. Moore was the first African American woman to superintend a male prison in Pennsylvania. Moore's lengthy list of “firsts” also includes serving as Deputy Commissioner of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and overseeing the District of Columbia Department of Corrections. Moore's unprecedented success in overcoming sexism and racism to assume these key leadership roles has paved the way for other minority corrections professionals. This biographical essay is primarily based on two personal interviews with Moore.
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