Dr. Ruth Anderson First African-American on the Board of Supervisor, Blackhawk County, Iowa First African-American Director of Human Services Tenured Faculty at University of Northern Iowa Ruth Anderson was born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa. As a young adult, Mrs. Anderson established herself in Waterloo where she pursued a professional career as an educator. She taught social work at Wartburg College and the University of Northern Iowa. In addition, she organized the Social Work Department at the University of Northern Iowa. Also, she was Director of Blackhawk County Department of Social Services and later served on the Blackhawk County Board of Supervisors. While serving in these positions she instituted policies to improve the welfare system in Blackhawk County. Her countless accomplishments led to her induction into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame. Home | Overview | Interview | Videos | Community | Leadership | Media | Education | Links | Organizations | History | About Us | Site Map | Blog | Forum | Research Created and Updated by Joyce Chen and David Jackson July 20, 2011