Jessie Whaley Maxwell

Jessie Whaley Maxwell (1909 – 2002) was an American educator who was the first African-American school principal in the Denver Public School system and the state of Colorado.

Biography Jessie Whaley was born on October 9, 1909, in Mansfield, Louisiana to parents John and Julia Carter Whaley.

Her family lived on the campus of a boarding school, Northwest Institute, where her parents taught. Her father was president and her mother taught music and English. She then received a bachelor of music and master of music education degrees from University of Denver.

During her time at Bishop College, Maxwell joined the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. In 1939, Maxwell, Mae Adams, and Elaine Brown Jenkins formed the Beta Phi chapter in Denver. Maxwell was elected as the first Treasurer.

Career From 1942 to 1975, she served as teacher and administrator in Denver Public Schools, and was an instructor at the University of Denver and Regis College.

In 1980, Maxwell received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from University of Denver. They were married after a four-week courtship. In 1998, Jessie Whaley Maxwell Elementary School was dedicated to her in Montbello.

Publications Maxwell, J. (1942). A diagnostic comparison of the educational contribution made by various textbooks in public school music.

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