Benjamin F. Payton facts for kids

Benjamin F. Payton (born December 27, 1932 – died September 28, 2016) was an important leader in education. He was a president at two special universities known as historically black universities. These schools are Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina (from 1967 to 1972) and Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama (from 1981 to 2010).

Early Life and Education

Benjamin F. Payton was born on December 27, 1932, in a town called Orangeburg, South Carolina. He had a brother named Cyril. Cyril later worked as an assistant to the president of Morgan State University.

Payton loved learning and went to many great schools. He earned his first college degree from South Carolina State University. After that, he got another degree from Harvard University. He then earned a master's degree from Columbia University. Finally, he completed his PhD, which is a very high degree, from Yale University.

Leading Universities

Benjamin Payton spent many years leading important educational institutions. He was known for helping universities grow and succeed.

Benedict College President

Payton became the president of Benedict College in 1967. He led the college for five years, until 1972. After leaving Benedict College, he worked for the Ford Foundation for nine years. The Ford Foundation is a group that gives money to support important projects.

Tuskegee University President

In 1981, Payton became the president of Tuskegee University. He stayed in this role for a very long time, almost 30 years, until 2010. During his time at Tuskegee, he helped the university raise a lot of money, about $240 million. This money helped the school improve and expand.

Payton also helped Tuskegee University grow in many other ways. He created five new schools within the university. He also started the school's first doctoral programs. These are advanced study programs for students who want to earn a PhD. He also began programs for adults to keep learning. These programs included centers for aerospace science and health education.

Other Leadership Roles

Besides leading universities, Payton also served on the boards of several large companies. These included AmSouth Bancorporation, ITT Inc., the Liberty Corporation, Praxair, and Ruby Tuesday. Being on a board means he helped guide these companies.

He was also a founding member of a special group called the Epsilon Nu Boulé chapter of Sigma Pi Phi. This group was in Naples, Florida.

Family and Later Life

Benjamin Payton was married to Thelma Plane. They had a son and a daughter together.

Benjamin F. Payton passed away on September 28, 2016. He was in Estero, Florida, when he died.