Lisle C. Carter facts for kids

Lisle Carleton Carter Jr. (born November 18, 1925 – died September 10, 2009) was an important American leader. He worked for many different groups, schools, and the United States government. He was also the first modern President of the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). This happened after three universities in Washington, D.C., joined together.

Growing Up and Education

Lisle Carter Jr. was born in New York City. He spent most of his childhood years living in Barbados. His father, Lisle Carter Sr., was a well-known dentist in Harlem. His mother, Eunice Carter, made history. She was the first black woman to become a district attorney in New York. A district attorney is a lawyer who works for the government to bring legal cases against people accused of crimes.

Lisle Jr. finished high school when he was only 15 years old. After that, he studied at Cazenovia College for two years. He then graduated from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire in 1945. He served in the United States Army for two years. Later, he became a lawyer after earning his law degree from St. John's University School of Law in New York in 1950.

A Career in Leadership

Lisle Carter Jr. had a long and varied career. He held many important positions in different fields.

Early Work and Government Service

In the mid-1950s, Carter was the Executive Director of the Washington Urban League. This group helps people in cities. He later worked for the National Urban League in New York.

He began working for the government during the Kennedy Administration. He was a Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. This department helped with health, education, and welfare programs. Later, he became an Assistant Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity. This office worked to fight poverty.

Under the Lyndon B. Johnson Administration, he became an Assistant Secretary of the same department. This made him one of the highest-ranking African Americans in that part of the government. He left this role in 1968.

Leading Universities

After his government work, Carter became a Vice President at Cornell University. He then spent three years as the Chancellor of the Atlanta University Center. This center is a group of historically black colleges in Atlanta. These colleges were started to provide education for African American students.

In 1977, he became the President of the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). He led UDC until 1982.

Later Career and Community Service

After leaving UDC, Carter went back to practicing law in Washington, D.C. He retired in the early 1990s. His last role was as general counsel for the United Way of America. The United Way is a large charity organization.

Carter also helped many other groups. He was the past board chairman of the Children's Defense Fund. This group works to protect children's rights. He also served on the board of the Kettering Foundation, which supports research in science and education. He was a trustee for Georgetown University, Dartmouth College, the Pension Rights Center, and the Aspen Institute.

Family Life

Lisle Carter Jr.'s first wife, Emily Elizabeth Ellis, passed away in 1989. In 1991, he married Jane Livingston, who is an art historian and author. Lisle Carter Jr. had five children with his first wife. One of his children is Stephen L. Carter, who is a well-known author and a professor at Yale Law School.