The Life and Times of Lamar P. Higgins

[...]

L​amar Higgins was a life-long member of the Ninth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was a committed servant at Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in Montgomery, Alabama where he served as Lay Exhorter, a faithful member of the Board of Stewards and Chair of the Commission on Stewardship and Finance. Lamar lived a life of service which was evident throughout his local and international commitment to the African Methodist Episcopal Church, namely the Ninth District’s first Sons of Allen State Coordinator beginning in 1997; and his work with the T.D. Peters Lay Organization and Alabama River Region Lay Organization. Lamar dutifully served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Daniel Payne Legacy Village. The Fellowship Annex bears the name: “The Lamar P. Higgins Annex.”
​

Engaging his influence, Brother Higgins collaborated and played a pivotal role in establishing the Rosa
Parks Library and Museum at the very site where she was arrested. Desiring to bring full honor to her
sacrifice, in 2018, Lamar lobbied for December 1st to become Rosa Parks Day in Alabama. His selfless
acts of compassion continued as he collaborated with the Troy University Board of Trustees to rename a
building, in honor of the “boy from Troy”, the late Congressman John Robert Lewis. The building was
previously named for a former governor who was also a Ku Klux Klan leader.
 
“Lamar Higgins was a true groundbreaker and a visionary leader who helped transform Troy University
into the diverse, global community that it is today,” said Major General (Ret) Walter Givhan, Senior Vice
Chancellor for Advancement and Economic Development. “Lamar was passionate about giving everyone
an opportunity for a first-class education, and the Board, felt it only appropriate to honor his legacy
through a scholarship that will give that opportunity to a future generation of leaders.” Therefore, Troy
University will honor the trailblazing legacy of trustee Lamar Higgins with an endowed scholarship.
Higgins also established “the Leadership Conference”, celebrating African American History Month, a
partnership between the University and the city of Troy. In addition, Higgins was responsible for
initiating the University’s Unity Prayer Breakfast in 2020. During the second Annual eve, held in March,
the newly renovated ballroom in the Trojan Center on the Troy Campus was named as the Lamar P.
Higgins Ballroom. The Conference room inside the Rosa Parks Library and Museum also bears the name
Lamar Higgins.
 
Professionally, Lamar joined the Fob James Gubernatorial Administration as an intern in 1979 and
afterwards was appointed as executive assistant on the governor’s staff. He handled every assignment
with a work ethic second to none, a “can do” attitude and sheer grit to get the job done on time every
time. He later joined the Space and Rocket Center staff and then became Special Assistant to the Mayor
of Huntsville, Alabama.
 
Fine Geddie declared that, “Lamar was a leader by nature.” As is the case with any profession, one can
use the platform they have been given for better, for nothing or for worse. Lamar sought to do the right
thing, correct wrong where needed and leave things better than when he found them simply by holding
his own character to a higher standard.
 
Submitted by:
E. Ann Clemons, Alabama River Region Conference
Sister Veronica Wiley, 9th Episcopal District Historiographer