elia ▁Bur ke ▁Washington ▁( former ly ▁Mary ▁Bur ke ▁Nicholas ; ▁July ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁– ▁November ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁econom ist , ▁former ▁New ▁York ▁state ▁official , ▁and ▁advoc ate ▁for ▁women ▁and ▁minor ities ▁in ▁public ▁life . ▁She ▁held ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁positions ▁in ▁federal , ▁state , ▁and ▁city ▁government ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁throughout ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁She ▁was ▁appointed ▁the ▁first ▁director ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁State ▁Women ' s ▁Division ▁by ▁Governor ▁Hugh ▁Care y ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁Washington ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁Mary ▁Bur ke ▁Nicholas ▁prior ▁to ▁her ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁marriage ▁to ▁Walter ▁Washington , ▁a ▁wid ower ▁who ▁had ▁previously ▁held ▁office ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁elected ▁Mayor ▁of ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁ ▁She ▁was ▁born ▁Mary ▁Corn elia ▁Bur ke ▁on ▁July ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁in ▁T usk eg ee , ▁Alabama , ▁to ▁Ruth ▁Fre eland ▁and ▁Walter ▁St ur geon ▁Bur ke . ▁Both ▁her ▁parents ▁were ▁gradu ates ▁of ▁Howard ▁University . ▁Her ▁father , ▁Walter ▁Bur ke , ▁who ▁also ▁had ▁a ▁law ▁degree ▁from ▁Howard ▁University ▁School ▁of ▁Law , ▁had ▁moved ▁the ▁family ▁from ▁Washington ▁D . C . ▁to ▁T usk eg ee