By Deborah Walker | Livingstone College News Service

SALISBURY, N.C. – “I am excited about today and what this means,” said Livingstone College President, Dr. Anthony Davis, to an intimate crowd gathered in the college’s administration building early Friday afternoon. “It’s very humbling that someone who grew up in the foster care system has now been elevated to the office of college president. In the history of Livingstone College, in 147 years, there have only been 13 presidents, and I am number 13.”

That was the president’s reaction to a celebration of the addition of his portrait to the “Presidents’ Quilt,” a tapestry created and designed by textile artist Roy Mitchell, Jr. in 2012 that honors the legacy of Livingstone College’s leaders.

“This quilt is more than just fiber and thread. It is a tapestry of stories, effort, and unity,” said Mitchell. “Each square represents the hands and hearts that have come together in learning, growth, and community.”

With his likeness now stitched into the quilt, Davis joins the ranks of former presidents who have helped shape the college’s legacy, including Davis’s immediate predecessor, Dr. Jimmy Jenkins, who was in the audience.

Bishop Kenneth Monroe, a member of Livingstone’s Board of Trustees, reflected on Davis’s decades-long dedication to service. “I’ve known him for thirty years, and I have seen in him a lot of potential. He has great compassion for people and I think that’s the reason why he is so successful,” Monroe said. “God expects us as clergy and as people of God to really love and always show compassion. Dr. Davis has that gift, and it is one of the most important qualities in leadership: to stay focused and serve faithfully.”

The celebration also captured the admiration of Livingstone’s student leaders.

“Dr. Davis has transformed Livingstone into one of the top HBCUs in North Carolina, and for that, students will always thank him,” said Kaiyon Courtney, the 13th Mister Livingstone College.