Luther H. Foster Jr.
Luther H. Foster Jr. | |
|---|---|
| President of Tuskegee University | |
| In office 1953–1981 | |
| Preceded by | Frederick D. Patterson |
| Succeeded by | Benjamin F. Payton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 21, 1913 Lawrenceville, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | November 27, 1994 East Point, Georgia, U.S. |
| Spouse | Vera Chandler Foster (m. 1941) |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence(s) | Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Virginia State University Hampton University Harvard Business School University of Chicago |
Luther Hilton Foster Jr. (March 21, 1913 - November 27, 1994)[1][2] was an African-American academic administrator. He served as the fourth president of the Tuskegee Institute, a private, historically black university in Tuskegee, Alabama now known as Tuskegee University, from 1953 to 1981.
Early life
Foster was born on March 21, 1913, in Lawrenceville, Virginia.[3][4] His father worked for Saint Paul's College, a historically black college.[4] He grew up between Lawrenceville and Petersburg.[4]
Foster graduated from Virginia State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1932, followed by a second bachelor's degree from Hampton University in 1934.[4] He earned an MBA from the Harvard Business School in 1936, followed by a master's degree and a PhD from the University of Chicago in 1941 and 1951 respectively.[4]
Career
Foster began his career at Howard University, where he worked as a budget officer from 1937 to 1941.[3] Foster joined the Tuskegee Institute, now known as Tuskegee University, in 1941, where he worked as a business manager until 1953.[3][5] He served as its fourth president from 1953 to 1981, which included the Civil Rights era.[3] Under his leadership, enrollment grew from 2,000 to 3,500.[4]
Foster served as the president of the United Negro College Fund and the Academy for Educational Development.[6] He also served on the board of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and Sears.[3]
Foster was inducted into the Alabama Academy of Honor. In 1958, he was awarded the Star of Africa from Liberia.[7]
Personal life and death
Foster married social worker Vera Chandler in 1941. They had two children.[3] He resided in Alexandria, Virginia.[4]
Foster died of a heart attack on November 27, 1994, in East Point, Georgia, at 81.[6][3][4]
References
- ^ "Dr. Luther Hilton Foster, Jr. Fourth President of Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) Term in Office: 1953-1981". Tuskegee University. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
- ^ Biographical Dictionary of Modern American Educators. Greenwood Publishing Group. 1997. p. 115. ISBN 9780313291333. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Luther Foster Dies". The Washington Post. December 1, 1994. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Elliott, J. Michael (December 2, 1994). "Luther Foster Jr., 81, Dies; Leader of Tuskegee Institute". The New York Times. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ^ "Foster Named Tuskegee Head". Asheville Citizen-Times. May 31, 1953. p. 24. Retrieved June 20, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Luther H. Foster Jr.; Former Head of Tuskegee University". The Los Angeles Times. December 5, 1994. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ^ "Dr. Luther Hilton Foster, Jr". Tuskegee University. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
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