Brother William Sutton, Sr. 

Bro. Dr. William Sutton Sr. came from humble beginnings. He was born in Monticello, a small county in Mississippi and reared by parents who didn’t finish eighth grade , but were loving and caring, who did the best they could to help him and his brothers and sisters with their homework for the first few grades. But the Sutton kids were good for and to each other and Dr. Sutton, Sr was mentored and tutored by an older sister, Balene, who taught him the alphabet, his numbers and more.

The school that Dr. Sutton, Sr. attended, Lawrence County Training School, didn’t have 11th and 12th grades for black students. Dr. Sutton, Sr. was persistent in furthering his education and moved 20 miles away from his hometown to complete his education at Alexander High School in Brookhaven, Mississippi. His efforts proved effective when he received a full academic scholarship to attend Dillard, where he pursued a degree in chemistry and biology and was on the football team. He was the team’s starting center and later became the captain of the football team. He also had a campus job in the business office, and they trusted him to take college’s money to the bank. Dr. Sutton, Sr. was class president for three years. While attending Dillard, Dr. Sutton, Jr. became a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc, Theta Sigma Chapter in 1950. Dr. Sutton, Sr. met his wife, Leatrice Hubbard who was a cheerleader, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and was voted Miss Dillard her senior year.

Dr. Sutton, Sr. graduated from Dillard in 1953 with a Bachelor of Art degree in Science, and he and his wife were married in 1954 and continued their journey in education. Dr. Sutton earned a master’s degree in zoology from Howard University in 1955. He worked as a medical technician at DC General Hospital from 1955 to 1959. Dr. Sutton, Sr and his family returned to Dillard to work in the faculty in 1959. Mrs. Sutton worked in the office of student teaching, and Dr. Sutton, Sr. held the position of assistant professor, associate professor, and later became professor and chairman of the Division of Natural Science, before departing to work on his Ph.D. in protozoology at Howard University. He received his PH.D in Zoology in 1965 and continued his career at Dillard University. In 1979, Dr. Sutton, Sr. became the first Black Provost, Vice President and professor of Biology of Chicago State University. In 1985, he was appointed Vice President for Educational and Student Services and professor of Biology at Kansas State University. He was the first African-American Vice President in the history of that university. In 1988 he was appointed President of Mississippi Valley State University and remained there for ten years. He fought powerful people who wanted to close or merge “The Valley” with other schools, leading the Mississippi Delta H.B.C.U. from financial uncertainty to campus upgrades. He retired in 1998 and the university’s Board of Trustees named the administration building after him. He was also honored to be named President Emeritus of Mississippi Valley State University. Before his retirement, both houses of the Mississippi legislature passed a joint resolution citing Dr. Sutton, Sr. for outstanding leadership at Mississippi Valley State University.

When Mrs. Sutton passed away in 2007, Dr. Sutton wanted to honor his wife with a scholarship in her name at Dillard University. He created the Leatrice Sutton Scholarship to help young women who possessed similar qualities as Mrs. Sutton. The scholarship was designed for students whose classification was a sophomore or higher with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher. The student had to have been an active member of Girl Scouts of America for at least three years, or a member of Delta Sigma Theta. The first scholarship was awarded in the 2010-2011 academic year, for a total of $1,500. Since then, over $12,000 has been awarded to deserving students. Several members of the Sutton family have invested money into the scholarship because it is an important way to keep Mrs. Sutton’s spirit alive as young women are encouraged to keep going with a financial boost.

Awards, Honors and Recognitions:

  • Sutton also received the best “all-around student award” at Dillard’s commencement in 1954, for leadership, friendship and scholarship. The award has since been renamed the William Sutton Prize. Dr. Sutton called it an honor he did not expect. The Sutton family continues to invest in education, keeping their love and legacy with Fair Dillard alive
  • Honorary doctorate degree (LLD) from Dillard University
  • Listings in American Men and Women of Science
  • Who’s Who in the South and Southwest
  • Outstanding Educators of America
  • Who’s Who Among Black Americans
  • Who’s Who in America
  • Man of the Mid-South
  • Community Service Awards from the Greenwood MS. Commonwealth newspaper (1996)
  • One Hundred Black Men of the Delta, MS
  • North Mississippi chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity (1998)
  • Hope Award, Mississippi Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society (1998)
  • Induction into the Mississippi Valley University Hall of Fame (1999)
  • James Herbert White Pre-eminence Award from MVSU (1999)

Boards and Civic Involvement:

  • Consultant to the National Science Foundation
  • The National Institutes of Health
  • S. Department of Education
  • Chairman of the Advisory Board of the sixteen (16) Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU’s) in North Carolina and Virginia for 24 years
  • Committee chairman and member of the executive committee of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
  • Chairman of the National Institute of Science
  • Chairman of the Mississippi Association of Colleges
  • Chairman of the Mississippi Council of University Presidents
  • Chairman of the Council of Presidents of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)

Omega Story

Bro. Dr. William Sutton, Sr. was initiated into the fraternity on December 16, 1950 while attending Dillard University (Theta Sigma) chapter. Bro. Dr. Sutton, Sr. was an active member of the fraternity and served in various offices. When Bro. Dr. Sutton, Sr. returned to New Orleans, he became active in Rho Phi Chapter, serving as Basileus from 1962-1963. He also served on the Talent Hunt and Fund Raising committees along with other committees, and was the chapter’s delegate to the fraternity’s 50th Grand Conclave, which was held in Washington. DC. He served as a member of the Coordination Council of Greater New Orleans representing Rho Phi Chapter. Bro. Dr. Sutton, Sr. received his 70 year pin in December, 2020, during a celebration of his 90th birthday. Bro. Dr. Sutton, Sr. also served as the graduate advisor to Theta Sigma chapter at Dillard University.