▁first ▁African - American ▁Library ▁Commission er ▁for ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁of ▁Massachusetts . ▁She ▁has ▁written ▁several ▁books ▁on ▁black ▁history , ▁including ▁a ▁ground bre aking ▁study ▁of ▁Boston ' s ▁black ▁upper ▁class ▁and ▁a ▁bi ography ▁of ▁Ad ela ide ▁Cas ely - H ay ford . ▁She ▁died ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 9 9 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁▁ ▁Ad ela ide ▁C rom well ▁was ▁born ▁into ▁a ▁prominent ▁Washington ▁D . C . ▁family ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁Her ▁grand father , ▁John ▁Wes ley ▁C rom well , ▁was ▁a ▁well - known ▁civil ▁rights ▁activ ist ▁and ▁educ ator , ▁and ▁her ▁father , ▁John ▁Wes ley ▁C rom well ▁Jr ., ▁was ▁the ▁city ' s ▁first ▁black ▁cert ified ▁public ▁account ant . ▁Her ▁a unt , ▁Ot elia ▁C rom well , ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁black ▁gradu ate ▁of ▁Smith ▁College , ▁and ▁her ▁cousin , ▁Edward ▁Bro oke , ▁was ▁a ▁Senator ▁of ▁Massachusetts ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁popular ly ▁elected ▁Black ▁State ▁Att orney ▁General . ▁ ▁C rom well ▁graduated ▁from ▁Dun bar ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 . ▁She ▁received ▁an ▁A . B . ▁degree ▁in ▁soci ology ▁from ▁Smith ▁College ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁and ▁an ▁M . A . ▁degree ▁in ▁soci ology ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Pennsylvania ▁in ▁ 1 9 4