Alpha Blackburn

Alpha Blackburn is an American former television host, award-winning fashion and interior designer, and philanthropist. She also served as the president and CEO of Blackburn Architects.

Early life and education Blackburn was born September 16, 1939 in Lynchburg, Virginia. She began designing clothing while in elementary school, but observed that she had few people to help her because fashion design was not commonly known in her town. Later, she received a scholarship to attend Howard University in Washington D. C. where she graduated cum laude with a B.A in Design and an M.F.A. in Painting and Art History. She met her late husband, prominent architect from Indianapolis, Dr. Walter Scott Blackburn at Howard University. After graduating from Howard, she settled with her husband in Indianapolis circa 1965 and continues to be active in fashion, television, business and philanthropy.

Career

Fashion In 1965, Blackburn and her husband settled in Indianapolis, where she began her fashion career. She was honored as Fashion Designer of the Year at the Flamingo Club Easter Fashion Show in April 1976. Her designs were featured in stores like L.S Aryes, Davidson's, and Gabriella. Blackburn created designs under the Alpha Originals label. She also created wedding designs. She also hosted the talk show, Indiana Illustrated. This was the first architecture firm that was African American owned in Indianapolis. She loaned her design talents with input on the interiors on their joint projects such as Indianapolis Public School 39, 500 Place, and Grace Apostolic Church. This was a joint project. In the second year of the seven year project, her husband died after a battle with cancer. In 2019, she was inducted into the Central Indiana Business Hall of Fame. In April 1973, she debuted some of her latest fashions for Fashion Project "73", where proceeds were to benefit the Harris Home for Children, which at the time was the only accredited establishment that accommodated Black children. She later launched the Alpha Blackburn Scholarship of the Arts that provides aid to young art students at the Herron School of Art and Design at IU Indianapolis. In March 2013, Blackburn was honored for her 25 years of service to the Indiana Civil Rights Commission. She was recognized by the Indiana Senate in March 2023 for her philanthropic contributions to Indianapolis.