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John Q. Taylor King Sr.

Anderson High School
Austin ISD

Lieutenant General John Q. Taylor King Sr., Ph.D., chancellor and president emeritus of Huston-Tillotson University, holds a bachelor of arts degree from Fisk University, a bachelor of science from Huston-Tillotson College, a master of science from DePaul University, and a doctorate from The University of Texas at Austin.  He received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Southwestern University and St. Edward’s University, an honorary doctor of humane letters from Austin College and Fisk University, and an honorary doctor of science from Huston-Tillotson College. He also holds a Phi Beta Kappa key.

King has received many military awards and decorations. He entered World War II as a private, served as a captain in the Pacific Theater, and retired from the Army as a major general in 1983. Then-Governor Mark White promoted him to the rank of lieutenant general in the Texas State Guard in 1985.

In 1947, King joined the faculty of Huston-Tillotson College, where he was a mathematics professor for several years and dean of the college for five years. He was appointed president in 1965 and chancellor in 1987.  He retired in 1988 and subsequently served as director and chair of the Center for the Advancement of Science, Engineering, and Technology, a research component of the college.

King participates in numerous civic, professional, and fraternal organizations, including the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc, where he holds a life membership. He has collaborated on four textbooks in mathematics and contributed many articles to professional and religious journals. King and his wife coauthored Stories of Twenty-three Famous Negro Americans and Famous Black Americans.

King has served on the board of directors of several organizations, including as a member of the Austin Regional Advisory Board, Texas Commerce Bank; member of the Austin Chapter of National Conference of Christians and Jews; and chair of the Lone Star District, Capitol Area Council, Boy Scouts of America. He was director and secretary of the Foundation for Insurance Regulatory Studies in Texas, chair of the Austin Civil Service Commission, trustee of Austin College, trustee of Fisk University, and member of the Philosophical Society of Texas. He is listed in Who’s Who in America, Leaders in American Science, Leaders in Education, and eight other biographical publications. He is also former commissioner of the Texas Funeral Service Commission.