Opening doors for others: The first Black woman to become a CPA By Anita Dennis Mary T. Washington Wylie in 1943 became the nation’s first Black woman to earn the CPA license, a notable achievement in a remarkable life filled with many accomplishments. Washington Wylie also made it her life’s mission to hire and mentor Black aspiring CPAs. Her story illustrates the importance of early Black CPAs’ success and the advances they made for future generations of accountants. A decision to pay it forward Born in Mississippi, Washington Wylie (1906–2005) was a child when she was sent to live ...