James Solomon Russell | Saint Paul’s College

Smithsonian’s National African American Museum of History and Culture Robert F. Smith Center recently interviewed Rev. Dr. Grady Powell as part of their partnership with the James Solomon Russell – Saint Paul’s College Museum and Archives.

In an ongoing effort to preserve the history of Saint Paul’s College, several staff members recently visited with Rev. Dr. Grady Powell and conducted an oral history interview with him.

Powell, a native of Brunswick County, Virginia, has had a varied career in education and the professional ministry. He attended a one-room elementary school and Saint Paul’s High School. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Paul’s College (1954), a Master of Divinity degree from Virginia Union University (1959), a Doctor of Divinity degree from St. Paul’s College (1976), and a doctor of humane letters degree from Virginia Union University (2012). He has done further study at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. Along with a brief teaching career, he has served four rural churches; however, his heart’s desire was to be a full-time pastor, and that occurred for him in 1958 when he became pastor of Quioccasin Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia, and then pastor of Gillfield Baptist Church in Petersburg, Virginia, for thirty-six years. He is married to Dr. Bertie J. Powell, a retired professor of English from Virginia State University. They have five children (Sandra, Dorthula, Grady Jr., Herbert, and Eric) and two grandchildren (Harvey III and Grady III). He currently resides in Northern Virginia.

We would like to thank the Robert F. Smith Center and staff for their continuous support and help with helping us preserve the history of the college and James Solomon Russell and Rev. Powell for agreeing to be interviewed. VIDEO COMING SOON….