Lucius Holsey Pitts

Lucius Hosley Pitts Sr. (February 28, 1915 – February 25, 1974) was an American minister, theologian, educator, and academic administrator. He served as the president of Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama from 1961 to 1970, and became the first African American president of Paine College in 1971. He was active in Birmingham, Alabama during the Civil Rights movement, and was a leader within black educational institutions for many years.

Early life and education Lucius Hosley Pitts Sr. was born on February 28, 1915, in James, Georgia. He earned his bachelor's degree from Paine College in Augusta, Georgia when he was twenty-five. He was awarded a postgraduate degree from Fisk University in 1945, and furthered his postgraduate studies at Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University) in Atlanta, Georgia; Peabody College (now Vanderbilt Peabody College of Education and Human Development) in Nashville, Tennessee, and at Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve University) in Cleveland, Ohio.

Career Georgia Teachers and Education Association From 1955 until 1961, Pitts was the executive secretary of the Georgia Teachers and Education Association (GTEA), a non-profit professional association and advocacy group of public school educators.

Miles College and the Civil Rights movement Pitts started his educational career as the president of Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama from 1961 until 1970. He also was able to double student enrollment to 1,200 and increase the budget.

During his time at Miles College and during the Civil Rights movement protests, Pitts helped the faculty and students protest. In 1970, Pitts led a five hour conference with leaders from other Black educational institutions to discuss the Nixon administration intensifying racial tensions by failing to support black education. On hand at the is conference was Harold Stinson, president of Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama; George Owens, president of Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, Mississippi; Rembert Stokes, president of Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio; Lemore Carter, representing Texas Southern College in Houston, Texas; and John Monro, who was serving as director of freshman studies at Miles College.

Pitts had also served as a vice president for the board of directors at the Southern Regional Council, Atlanta; and as vice president for Commission on Cooperation and Council. Working for the Commission on Cooperation and Council, he served the United Methodist and the Christian Methodist Episcopal churches. He was survived by his wife Dafferneeze, and their four children.