Peggy Maxie

Peggy Joan Maxie (August 18, 1936 – February 18, 2024) was an American politician in the state of Washington. Maxie was the first African-American woman elected to the Washington House of Representatives, serving the 37th district from 1971 to 1983. She was the prime sponsor of the Landlord-Tenant Act in Washington state. Representing the Central District, Seattle, along with parts of Capitol Hill and Downtown, she worked to preserve her district and the representation of Central District in the legislature. She was defeated in the primary election for her seat in 1981 by Gary Locke. An alumnus of Seattle University and the University of Washington, she held a Bachelor of Arts and Masters in Social Work degree and worked as a mental health therapist and counselor.

Early life Maxie was born on August 18, 1936, in Amarillo, Texas. Her parents were Cleveland, an auto mechanic, and Reba Maxie, a housewife, and she had four siblings. Her parents divorced and her mother moved the family to Seattle, Washington, in 1942, where she worked for Boeing. Maxie attended Immaculate Conception School, graduating from the high school in 1995. After graduation, she worked as a legal secretary at the state attorney general's office and the Seattle Urban League. She briefly studied to be a nun with the Sisters of Charity at Providence. In 1970, she received her bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Seattle University.

Maxie died on February 18, 2024, at the age of 87.