Raleigh, NC - The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) is proud to announce the induction of Dr. Altheria Smith Patton into the North Carolina Education Hall of Fame. Dr. Patton was a stalwart advocate for public education in Anson County and across North Carolina.
A graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Columbia University, Dr. Patton devoted decades of service to Anson County as a teacher, counselor, and administrator. During her distinguished career, she broke barriers as the first African American woman to serve as associate superintendent of Anson County Schools and the first African American vice chair of the Anson County Board of Education. She was also instrumental in establishing the Alternative Learning School, Anson Challenge Academy.
Dr. Patton’s devotion to education earned her numerous honors, including the NAACP Distinguished Service Award in the Field of Education, North Carolina’s Order of the Long Leaf Pine, and a congratulatory letter from then-President Barack Obama acknowledging her lifelong commitment to education and to Anson County.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Dr. Patton was an author, a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and an avid traveler who visited more than 30 countries. She often said, “Anson County Schools have produced a bevy of qualified professionals who are doing great things, and they all got their start here in this often discounted, rural county. We have done some good here.”
Dr. Patton passed away on July 10, 2024, at the age of 97.
“Dr. Patton was a graceful, yet powerful force in Anson County and for North Carolina," said NCAE President Tamika Walker Kelly. "The lives she’s changed and touched through her work in education are as numerous as the awards and accolades she’s earned. We are honored to induct Dr. Patton to the NC Educational Hall of Fame.”
