John Harding Lucas, former interim president of Shaw University, passed away on March 31. He was 104 years old.
Dr. Lucas was a dedicated leader and advocate for education in North Carolina for six decades. His career began as an educator and administrator with Granville County schools, before transitioning to Hillside High School in Durham, where he served as principal from 1962 to 1985. His leadership led to the formation of the North Carolina Association of Educators, a professional organization that united the White North Carolina Education Association and the Black North Carolina Teachers’ Association in 1970. Dr. Lucas served as the association’s fourth president.
Later in life, Dr. Lucas served on the board of trustees for Shaw University, a historically Black educational institution in Raleigh. During a time of financial insecurity at the HBCU, Dr. Lucas stepped up to serve as interim president in 1986. Over the course of his career, he continued to lend his expertise to Shaw, serving in several key administrative leadership roles.
“Dr. Lucas was an outstanding individual and a mentor to me,” said Joseph Bell, board chair at Shaw University. “His wisdom, friendship, guidance, and support were invaluable. He was deeply respected and admired by all who had the privilege of knowing him.”
A World War II veteran, Dr. Lucas was an alumnus of Shaw University.
