Who Was Andrew Arthur Allen Sr? All About Phylicia Rashad’s Father

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Andrew Arthur Allen Sr was a Houston dentist, a U.S. Army captain, and the father of Phylicia Rashad and Debbie Allen. His daughters became familiar faces on television and Broadway, while his own career centered on dentistry. Yet their stories share an important connection: Howard University, where Andrew earned his dental degree before either daughter followed him there.

Some of the most revealing details about Andrew come from Phylicia’s childhood memories. She spent summers working at his dental office, remembered gatherings with his colleagues, and grew up hearing about his affection for Howard. Those everyday experiences offer a personal look at the man behind a well-known family.

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Quick Info About Andrew Arthur Allen Sr

Detail	Information
Full name	Andrew Arthur Allen Sr
Known as	Dr. Andrew Allen
Date of birth	July 30, 1921
Birthplace	Lobdell, West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana
Nationality	American
Parents	Lloyd James Allen and Goldie Matilda Jackson
Family background	One of nine surviving children
Education	Doctor of Dental Surgery, Howard University, 1946
Profession	Dentist
Military branch	United States Army
Military rank	Captain
Former wife	Vivian Ayers Allen
Famous daughters	Phylicia Rashad and Debbie Allen
Date of death	October 14, 1983
Age at death	62
Burial place	Houston National Cemetery, Texas

Andrew Arthur Allen Sr’s Early Life

Andrew was born in Lobdell, Louisiana, in 1921. His family later moved to Houston, the city where he would establish his dental practice and raise his children.

He belonged to a large family with a strong interest in education. During an interview on The Chavis Chronicles, Phylicia explained that her paternal grandparents had ten children, nine of whom survived. Her grandfather wanted his children to have access to college and moved the family from their farming community to Houston.

That history places Andrew’s education within a wider family story. His pursuit of dentistry followed an ambition his parents had already encouraged: giving their children opportunities through schooling.

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His Parents, Lloyd Allen and Goldie Jackson

Andrew’s father, Lloyd James Allen, worked on the railroad. Phylicia described him as a railway fireman and recalled his determination to make college possible for his children.

His mother, Goldie Matilda Jackson, came from Lobdell. According to Phylicia’s account, Lloyd met Goldie on the Louisiana farm where she lived. The family owned land there before relocating to Texas.

These details help explain the connection between Louisiana and Houston in Andrew’s life. Louisiana was his birthplace and the home of his parents’ early relationship. Houston became the setting for the next generation’s education and professional lives.

His Education at Howard University

Andrew Arthur Allen Sr graduated from Howard University’s College of Dentistry in 1946 with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree.

Howard remained important to him after graduation. Phylicia later remembered that he spoke about the university throughout her childhood. His enthusiasm helped make it a familiar place in her imagination long before she arrived as a student.

She eventually chose Howard, graduating in 1970. Debbie followed her father and older sister to the university, where she developed her interests in performance and choreography.

The three family members pursued different careers, but Howard connected their educational paths. Andrew studied dentistry; his daughters trained in the arts. Decades later, the sisters would honor him by supporting students at the same institution.

His Dental Career in Houston

Andrew built his professional life in Houston. His first dental office stood across the street from Emancipation Park, a location Phylicia remembered when a scholarship honored him in 2020.

For her, the practice was also a place to spend time with her father. As a teenager, she worked there as a summer receptionist. The job gave her a role in his working day and introduced her to the people around his practice.

She also recalled the Charles A. George Dental Society’s annual picnic, which often fell near her birthday. Her memories included barbecue, baked beans, salad, and her father’s colleagues.

Those recollections make his career easier to picture. Alongside appointments and office work, dentistry brought Andrew into a professional community that his daughter remembered many years later.

His Service as an Army Captain

Andrew Arthur Allen Sr also served in the United States Army, where he held the rank of captain.

His Houston National Cemetery listing records his military branch and rank. Following his death, he was buried there on October 18, 1983.

His daughters have continued to acknowledge his service. Phylicia shared a Veterans Day tribute in 2020 featuring a photograph of Andrew holding her as a baby. The image connected his military identity with the way she remembered him personally—as her father.

His Marriage to Vivian Ayers Allen

Andrew married Vivian Ayers Allen, a poet whose interests included literature, education, and the arts. Phylicia recalled that her parents met in Washington while Andrew studied dentistry and Vivian worked as a typist.

Their backgrounds brought different kinds of work into the family. Andrew pursued a healthcare profession, while Vivian developed her writing and cultural interests.

Their marriage ended when Phylicia was six, around 1954. The separation became part of the children’s early family history, but both parents remained figures the sisters discussed in interviews about their upbringing.

Vivian’s literary work included Hawk, published in 1957. The long poem explored freedom through an allegory connected to space flight. Her writing provides useful context for the artistic environment in which Andrew’s daughters grew up.

His Children and Their Different Careers

Phylicia Rashad and Debbie Allen brought the family name into entertainment, but the wider family pursued several professions.

Andrew “Tex” Allen Jr became a jazz musician. Hugh Allen pursued a career in banking and real estate finance. Phylicia and Debbie developed their work in theater, television, dance, and directing.

Phylicia became widely recognized as Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show and earned major recognition for her stage performances. Debbie became known for Fame and for her work as a choreographer, director, producer, and dance educator.

Their careers grew from their individual training and opportunities. Andrew’s place in that history includes his professional example, his Howard connection, and the time his children spent around his work.

The sisters later chose the name D.A.D., meaning Doctor Allen’s Daughters, for their production company. It served as a direct tribute to their father within their own profession.

Why the Children Spent Time in Mexico

The family’s experience of segregation forms an important part of the sisters’ childhood story.

Vivian took the children to Mexico so they could experience life beyond the racial restrictions they faced in the United States. Phylicia later explained that the stay lasted a semester.

She also clarified that her mother initially wanted the move to become permanent, while her father opposed that plan. Vivian initiated the relocation; Andrew did not move abroad with her as part of a joint family decision.

Howard’s account of Debbie’s childhood also describes the move as her mother’s effort to give the children time away from racism in the American South. The experience remained a subject the sisters discussed as adults.

Andrew Arthur Allen Sr’s Death

Andrew Arthur Allen Sr died in Houston on October 14, 1983, at the age of 62. His burial took place four days later at Houston National Cemetery.

Some entertainment accounts give a different year, but the cemetery listing and genealogical record agree on the 1983 date.

His daughters continued to remember him publicly long after his death. Through family photographs and tributes, they kept his name connected to their personal histories. Their educational giving later gave that remembrance another purpose.

The Scholarships Honoring His Memory

Education became one of the most lasting ways Andrew’s daughters honored him.

Phylicia and Debbie established the Andrew Allen memorial scholarship at Howard University to support students studying acting, singing, and dancing in its Department of Theatre Arts.

Taraji P. Henson received the scholarship during her own time at Howard. She later credited the assistance with helping her remain in school when she faced financial difficulties.

In January 2025, Henson joined Phylicia on Today with Jenna & Friends to surprise musical theater student Trinity Garrison with a $25,000 scholarship. The presentation connected a former recipient with a student beginning her own professional journey.

Houston also honored Andrew through educational support. In 2020, Emancipation Park Conservancy and Phylicia helped provide a one-time $5,000 scholarship to Navaeh Richardson, a Yates High School graduate preparing to attend Howard.

That award linked the neighborhood near his first practice with the university where he earned his degree.

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Final Thoughts

Andrew Arthur Allen Sr built a life in dentistry, served as an Army captain, and maintained a connection to Howard University that his daughters carried into their own lives.

The most personal parts of his story remain straightforward: a daughter working at his reception desk, family memories of his colleagues, and children who later honored him through their work. Scholarships bearing his name extend that remembrance to students pursuing an education of their own.