Rudolph Knight

Tarboro native and Patillo High School honor graduate C. Rudolph Knight earned his B.S. in Business Administration from NC Central University. From East Carolina University he earned three Masters degrees: in Education Administration, in Library Science and in Adult and Continuing Education. The first African-American professional hired by Edgecombe Community College, Knight taught business courses before serving as Director of Special Programs in the Department of Continuing Education for 22 years. He worked as Historic Preservation Planner for the City of Rocky Mount from 1998 to 2001. An avid historian, Knight specialized in the American-American experience particularly in Tarboro and Edgecombe County. Mr. Knight co-authored with Lawrence Auld four books on Edgecombe County history.

He was a founding member and Chair of the Perry-Weston Educational and Cultural Institute. He served on the Boards of W.A. Pattillo High School Alumni Association, BTW Renaissance, Historic Hope Foundation, the Wright’s Center. He was also a founding member and past president of the Phoenix Society for African American Research.

Inducted into Hall of Fame 2014
Deceased