The Morehouse College community celebrated Reverend Dean Lawrence Edward Carter Sr., PhD, as he nears the end of his tenure. On April 9, 2026, the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel honored Dean Carter during the annual Benjamin Elijah Mays Crown Forum. The Honorable Reverend Raphael G. Warnock ’91, PhD, Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church and U.S. Senator, served as the featured preacher. Warnock offered a powerful send-off, bringing the congregation to their feet many times. He praised Dean Carter as the spiritual heartbeat of the college, concluding an unparalleled era of leadership and moral guidance.
The history of a Morehouse icon
Dean Carter’s path began when the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr ’48 recruited him from the 10th grade. Officially appointed on July 1, 1979, by then-President Dr. Hugh Gloster ’31, Dean Carter has provided 47 years of service. He has shaped the spiritual, moral and intellectual ethos of the College under the leadership of seven presidents. As the long-standing steward of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel, he has transformed the space. Over the decades, he molded the chapel into a global sanctuary for scholarship, peacebuilding and interfaith dialogue.
Passing the mantle
During the forum, Senator Warnock offered a stirring tribute to this lifelong commitment. He declared that if a life’s project can be finished in a single lifespan, that project is far too small. Warnock praised the Dean’s unique ability to bring “head and heart together,” transforming the chapel into a classroom and the classroom into a chapel. In doing so, he focused the community on what Dr. King called “the fierce urgency of now.”
Warnock expressed his gratitude to Dean Carter by saying, “I just want to thank you, Dean Carter, for being the Elisha in our midst.”
Comparing the Dean to the biblical successor who sought a double portion of his mentor’s spirit, Warnock hailed him as the “keeper of the flame” and “curator of the dream.” Warnock also acknowledged Dean Carter’s impact as a mentor. He noted that few have mentored more students into global pulpits than Dean Carter, a true giant among leaders.
Voices from the community
Isaiah Brooks, a freshman sociology major, admired Warnock’s ability to balance between his roles of elected official and a former mentee of the Dean.
“I think his speech was very politically charged; but at the same time he didn’t use it as a platform to push an agenda,” Brooks said. “It was more so about him paying reverence to Dean Carter. He showed that he stood for democracy, freedom and simply Black freedom, which I think is important when we were putting up elected officials.”
Andrew Kamuche, a sophomore theater performance major and Crown Forum Fellow, shared his perspective on the community’s gratitude.
“Something that resonated with me, both as a fellow and a student, was how much people love and admire Morehouse. There were so many people who were there who weren’t students, who were seeing all of this brotherly love,” kamuche said. “It was surreal to see how many people came to see this event that we go to every single Thursday.”
As the final notes of the college hymn faded, the atmosphere in the chapel remained one of profound gratitude. While Dean Lawrence Edward Carter Sr. officially concludes his formal tenure, his influence is permanently woven into the red clay of Morehouse. By mentoring generations of leaders and guarding the legacy of nonviolence and social justice, he has ensured that the “flame” he curated will continue to burn brightly in the hearts of “Morehouse Men” for decades to come.
