John H. Carter is an American entrepreneur, businessman, author, and community volunteer.  He was the initial project manager of the National Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial where he supervised the passage of two laws authorizing the memorial, coordinated the site and design selection, and raised over $15 million before turning the project over to Atty Harry Johnson and a permanent staff. A native of Thomaston, Georgia, Dr. Carter is a retired Vice President of Corporate Resources of AT&T (formerly BellSouth Corporation).  He is the author of the book, Hold My Mule: There is no such word as “Can’t”  and a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Family History

Dr. Carter was born in the South during the Jim Crow era  in Thomaston, Georgia  to parents who had only a fourth-grade education.   His father, Augustus Carter Jr., and his mother, Rosie Mae Mathews Carter, were textile workers.  His great grandfather, Seaborn Mathews was born into slavery in 1851.  His grandfather Otis Mathews was a sharecropper who ultimately owned his home and the property that he and his forefather has sharecropped prior to his death in 1974.

Education

Despite being elected President of the Student Government of the all-black Drake High School, he elected to give up the title to spend his senior year at the public Robert E. Lee Institute in Thomaston. He thus became the first Black high school graduate from this previously segregated public institution.  In addition, he also became the first high school graduate on both sides of his family.

Dr. John went on to become the first college graduate in his family when he obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies from Morris Brown College, a historically black college in Atlanta. A lifelong learner, he earned a Master of Human Resources Management from the University of Utah (1977), and a Master of Management from the University of Southern California (1989).  He also earned a Doctor of Business Administration Degree from the California Coast University (2001).  Lastly, he completed Columbia University’s School of Business Executive Program in Business Administration as part of BellSouth’s Executive Continuity Program.

Family Life

Dr. Carter married Susan Gibson Carter, in 1970. The couple had two children: Gregory L. Carter, an author and financial planner, and Candace Carter McKenney, a nurse.   His wife, Susan, is a retired Personnel Manager for Federated Department Stores and successful owner of a wedding planning business.

Professional Career

Dr. John H. Carter is a retired Vice President of AT&T (formerly BellSouth Corporation). In his final assignment at BellSouth, he was responsible for providing overall interdepartmental support to all segments of BellSouth Telecommunications. Specific duties included managing the cross-departmental resource needs of the corporation, including the development of long-range human resources and corporate support financial planning; electronic commerce; information management; fleet management; corporate measurements; corporate safety; corporate quality; process improvement; and environmental management.  He also managed the Human Resources and Corporate Services’ $900 Million-dollar budget and coordinated the corporation’s $34 Million contingency fund for environmental remediation.

After retirement from the Bell System, he managed a successful consulting firm, Carter & Carter, LLC, which offered management consulting, facilitation, and executive coaching for ten years. He also served as an adjunct professor at Strayer University as a course developer and seminar presenter for ten years before fully retiring in 2018.

Community Involvement

John has been active in his community throughout his career.  He has served on many boards over the years including the American Red Cross, American Lung Association, Georgia Business Roundtable, National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), Business Consortium Fund, and Sun City Peachtree Community Association, Inc. At his church, Cascade United Methodist, he was Chairperson of the Higher Education Scholarship Committee, which awarded over one million dollars between 2000 and 2011. 

In the latter half of 1992, he was a Loaned Executive to the City of Atlanta and served as a Special Assistant to Mayor Maynard Jackson. He also served as the initial Project Manager for the Washington D. C. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. and supervised the passage of two laws authorizing the memorial, coordinated the site and design selection, and raised over $15 million before turning the project over to Atty Harry Johnson and a permanent staff.

Accomplishments & Accolades

He has received many awards and honors for his services to his corporation and community.  For example, he was named Morris Brown Alumnus of the year; the 1992 Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Georgia State, Southern Region, and International Brother of the Year; Who’s Who in America; Jaycees of Year; BellSouth Quality Champion of the Year and BellSouth Services’ Presidential Award of Excellence.  In 2008, he was named the Strayer University Professor of the Year for the Cobb County Campus. He was awarded the Provost’s Circle designation for 2011 and 2012, which recognizes and rewards adjunct faculty who have demonstrated an exceptional and long-standing commitment to excellence in instruction. During the MLK Memorial Dedication Ceremony in 2011, he received the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Award of Merit, the highest award presented to a member of the organization. In addition, May 13, 1999, was named in his honor in all of Alphadom. He was named a Lieutenant Colonel, Aide De Camp, Governor’s Staff by Georgia Governor Zell Miller; received Senate Resolution 527 and House Resolution 738 from the Georgia Congress; and was privileged to have days named in his honor by the multiplicities of Fulton County, GA (11/18/92), Atlanta. GA (12/3/92), and Thomaston, GA (2/15/22).

Bibliography

·       Carter, John H (2022). Hold My Mule, There is no such word as Can’t. LeeCom Media. ISBN 978-0-578-00558-4.[1]

·       Alpha Protocol and Etiquette Manual (2022)

References

1.     Who is Dr. John H. Carter. (n.d.). Johnhcarter.info. August 17.022, from https://www.johnhcarter.info/who-is-dr-john-carter

2.     Harris, Jr., R. L. (2014). The History of Alpha Phi Alpha:  Tradition of Leadership and Service. Baltimore, MD: Founders Publications. p. 124, 133, 167, 169, 182, 184, 189, 190, 196, 243, 244.

3.     Jackson, Jr. E. (2021). The King Memorial: Thousand of ideas bound by a single vision. ArhD.Ltd: Williamburg, VA. p. 3, 39, 47.

4.     Harris, Jr., R. L. (2000, Winter). (2000, Winter). (2000, Winter). (2000, Winter). 90% Planning: 10% Execution.  The Winning Formula Implemented by Brother John H. Carter: Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Manage.  The Sphinx®, 85(4),18-19.

5.     Alumni Brother of the Year: Brother John H. Carter: Beyond the Call.  (1992, Fall). The Sphinx®, 77(3),23.

Cliburn, E. L (2000). Proud To Be from R.E. Lee. Upson Historical Society. Thomaston, Georgia