Stewart Cleveland Cureton facts for kids

Stewart Cleveland Cureton (born March 24, 1930 – died December 30, 2008), also known as S. C. Cureton, was an important American church leader and a champion for civil rights. He worked hard to make life better for many people.

Early Life and Education

Stewart Cleveland Cureton was born on March 24, 1930. He was the sixth of seven children born to Santee Argo Cureton and Martha Arrye Henderson Cureton. He grew up in Greenville County, South Carolina.

He went to school in the local area and graduated from Sterling High School in 1949. When he was just seventeen years old, he felt a strong calling to become a preacher. He continued his studies at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. In 1953, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the college.

A Leader in South Carolina Churches

Stewart Cureton believed that a good leader needed both a "baptized heart" and a "baptized brain." This meant he thought it was important to have strong faith and also to be well-educated. He kept learning throughout his life. He studied at many colleges and universities in North Carolina and South Carolina. He later received special Doctor of Divinity degrees from Morris College and Benedict College.

In 1953, he began his work as a pastor. He led several churches in South Carolina, including Old Pilgrim Baptist Church and New Galilee Baptist Church. In 1965, he became the pastor of Reedy Fork Baptist Church and Reedy River Baptist Church. Reedy River Baptist Church was his home church. By 1978, he became the full-time pastor there.

Under his guidance, Reedy River Baptist Church grew a lot. He helped the church build two new main buildings and a family life center. This center became a great example for other churches in the Greenville area. Mr. Cureton always believed that education was key. He felt it helped people reach their full potential.

National Church Leadership

Stewart Cureton started from humble beginnings but became a leader at the local, state, and national levels. He achieved many important things during his life.

He served as the leader, or moderator, of the Reedy River Baptist Association. He was also the president of the Baptist Educational & Missionary Convention of South Carolina from 1986 to 1991. He held several important roles in the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. These roles included second vice president, vice president-at-large, and eventually president.

From March 1999 to September 1999, he served as the president of the National Baptist Convention. He took on this leadership role when the previous president stepped down. President Bill Clinton also appointed him to be a member of the United States Presidential Scholars Program commission from 1991 to 2000. He was also given the prestigious Order of the Palmetto Award. He served on the boards of trustees for both Benedict College and Morris College.

Teaching and Civil Rights Work

Besides his church work, Stewart Cureton was also a math teacher. He taught at Sterling High School and Beck Middle School. At the time of his death, he was still the pastor of Reedy River Missionary Baptist Church.

He was a strong supporter of important issues in South Carolina. For example, he worked to establish a holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr. in Greenville County. Mr. Cureton was very important in bringing Dr. King to Greenville for a speech in April 1967. He also played a key role in helping to integrate the public libraries in Greenville County, South Carolina. This meant making sure libraries were open to everyone, no matter their race.

Family Life

On December 27, 1954, Stewart Cureton married Claudette Hazel Chapman Cureton. They had four children together: Ruthye, Stewart Jr., Santee Charles, and Samuel. His son, Samuel, followed in his father's footsteps and also became a minister. Stewart Cleveland Cureton passed away on December 30, 2008, at the age of 78.