Michael Lomax facts for kids

Lomax in October 2024

Michael Lucius Lomax is an American educator and leader. Since 2004, he has been the president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). Before that, from 1997 to 2004, he was the president of Dillard University, which is a historically Black university (HBCU). Dr. Lomax was also the first African American to lead a major county government in State of Georgia when he became chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.

Early Life and Education

Michael Lomax was born on October 2, 1947, in Los Angeles, California. His father, Lucius W. Lomax, Jr., was a lawyer. His mother, Hallie Almena Davis Lomax, was a journalist.

When he was 16, Lomax started college at Morehouse College. He graduated in 1968 with a bachelor's degree in English. He also studied Spanish and history. He was one of the first students at Morehouse to join Phi Beta Kappa, an honor society.

Later, he earned a master's degree in English literature from Columbia University in 1972. In 1984, he received his Ph.D. from Emory University. His doctoral research was about Countee Cullen, a poet from the Harlem Renaissance.

Academic Career

In 1969, Dr. Lomax began teaching English literature at Morehouse College. He taught at Morehouse and Spelman College for 20 years.

From 1997 to 2004, Dr. Lomax was the president of Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana. During his time there, more students enrolled at Dillard. The university also received much more private funding and donations from alumni. He also led a large project to improve the campus for students.

Public Service

Dr. Lomax started working in public service in Atlanta in the 1970s. He worked for Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, who was the city's first African American mayor. He also helped create Atlanta's Office of Cultural Affairs.

In 1978, Dr. Lomax was elected to the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. Two years later, he became the chairman of the board. This made him the first African American to lead a major county government in Georgia. He was chairman for 12 years. He managed a large budget and many county employees.

As a commissioner, he helped bring big events to Atlanta. These included the 1988 Democratic National Convention and the 1996 Olympic Games. He also led major building projects. These included Georgia's Interstate 400 and improvements to Grady Hospital. He also helped build the new Fulton County government center. He founded the Fulton County Arts Council and the National Black Arts Festival. He also served as commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs in Atlanta.

He ran for mayor of Atlanta in 1989 and 1993 but was not elected.

United Negro College Fund

Since 2004, Dr. Lomax has been the president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). UNCF is the largest private organization that gives scholarships and support to students who are often underrepresented in college.

He started UNCF's Institute for Capacity Building. This program helps HBCUs become stronger and more independent. Under his leadership, UNCF has raised over $5 billion. This money has helped more than 200,000 students earn college degrees. In 2023, UNCF was named one of America’s Top 100 Charities.

Each year, UNCF helps 50,000 students go to college with scholarships. These students attend UNCF's 37 member HBCUs. Dr. Lomax oversees more than 400 scholarship programs. These programs give out over 10,000 scholarships each year. Students who receive UNCF scholarships are more likely to graduate college than the average U.S. college student.

Dr. Lomax has also worked to create partnerships with public and private groups. These partnerships help advance the goals of HBCUs. In 2023, UNCF received a $190 million gift from Fidelity Investments. In 2024, UNCF received a $100 million grant from the Lilly Endowment. This grant supports UNCF's $1 billion fundraising campaign. It is the largest donation in UNCF's history. It helps grow the shared fund for its 37 member HBCU institutions.

Dr. Lomax was the main speaker at the graduation ceremony for Benedict College. Benedict College is a UNCF member school.

Boards and Associations

Dr. Lomax serves on the boards of several organizations. These include Handshake, the KIPP Foundation, Cengage Group, and Teach for America. He is also a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Senate. He belongs to the Alpha Phi Alpha and Sigma Pi Phi fraternities. He is a trustee of the Studio Museum in Harlem. He also helped found the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture. He was appointed to this by U.S. Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert. U.S. President George W. Bush also appointed Dr. Lomax to the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

He used to be a board member for America's Promise Alliance, The Carter Center, and Emory University.

Awards

Dr. Lomax has received many honors. In 2018, he received the Dr. Eugene D. Stevenson, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award. This is the highest honor from the Higher Education Leadership Foundation. In 2004, he received the Emory Medal, which is Emory University's top alumni award. He also received the Omicron Delta Kappa Laurel Crowned Circle Award. This is the highest honor from that organization. He also received Morehouse's Bennie Achievement Award and 17 honorary degrees.

Personal Life

Dr. Lomax has three daughters named Michele, Rachel, and Deignan. He also has five grandchildren.

He is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha and Sigma Pi Phi fraternities. He was also inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa in 2000 at Dillard.