Luther H. Foster Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luther H. Foster Jr.
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| President of Tuskegee University |
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| In office 1953–1981 |
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| 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 |
| Residences | Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Virginia State University Hampton University Harvard Business School University of Chicago |
Luther Hilton Foster Jr. (born March 21, 1913 – died November 27, 1994) was an important leader in education. He was the fourth president of Tuskegee University in Alabama. This university is a special kind of school called a historically black university. He led Tuskegee from 1953 to 1981.
Early Life and Education
Luther Foster was born in Lawrenceville, Virginia, on March 21, 1913. His father worked at Saint Paul's College, another historically black college. Luther grew up in Virginia, spending time in Lawrenceville and Petersburg.
He was a very dedicated student. Luther earned his first bachelor's degree from Virginia State University in 1932. He then earned a second bachelor's degree from Hampton University in 1934. Later, he studied at the Harvard Business School, getting his MBA in 1936. He continued his studies at the University of Chicago, where he earned a master's degree in 1941 and a PhD in 1951.
Career and Leadership
Luther Foster started his career at Howard University. He worked there as a budget officer from 1937 to 1941. In 1941, he joined the Tuskegee Institute. He worked as a business manager there until 1953.
From 1953 to 1981, Foster served as the fourth president of Tuskegee. This time included the important Civil Rights era. Under his leadership, the number of students at Tuskegee grew a lot. It went from 2,000 students to 3,500.
Foster also held leadership roles in other organizations. He was president of the United Negro College Fund. This group helps students at historically black colleges. He also led the Academy for Educational Development. He served on the boards of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and Sears.
For his achievements, Foster was honored in many ways. He was inducted into the Alabama Academy of Honor. In 1958, he received the Star of Africa award from Liberia.
Personal Life
Luther Foster married Vera Chandler in 1941. She was a social worker. They had two children together. He lived in Alexandria, Virginia.
Luther Foster passed away on November 27, 1994. He was 81 years old. He died from a heart attack in East Point, Georgia.
