A reception was held for Lee Elder at Paine College on Tuesday, April 6. Elder was the first African-American golfer to compete at the Masters Tournament in 1975.
Michael Thurmond, Chairman, announced that the Paine College Board of Trustees, along with President Cheryl Evans Jones, would host a reception celebrating Elder. In December of 2020, the college bestowed Elder with an Honorary Doctorate during a virtual commencement. At the reception, a Hooding ceremony took place to recognize Elder’s acheivements.
“At the heart of this gathering is the goal of recognizing a true American hero who defied the odds of poverty, lack of access, and extreme hostile racial barriers, one who emerged as a role model for millions of young people throughout the world,” said Chairman Michael Thurmond. “Lee Elder demonstrated how the power of faith, hard work, raw determination, and staying the course can impact one’s life. Now more than ever, our communities need role models such as Lee Elder.”
In November of 2020, Fred Ridley, Masters Chairman, announced the plan for endowed scholarships in Elder’s name and to underwrite 100% of new a women’s golf program at Paine College. In addition, Elder was invited to serve as honorary starter alongside Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player to kick off the 2021 Masters tournament on April 8.
For more information about the celebratory event, contact Helene T. Carter at hcarter@paine.edu, or call (706) 821.8323.
Tyler Strong is the Business Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at tyler@theaugustapress.com
