PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (Dec. 14, 2023) – In the honorable echoes of “The Hill,” a legendary chapter has drawn to a close as Julius W. Becton, Jr., a revered Army lieutenant general and distinguished national leader, passed away at the age of 97.
Lt. Gen. Becton lived by the rule, “Leadership and ethics are inseparable.” His life of service to community, family, country, and education shaped the life histories of generations of young people and will continue to do so for generations to come.
A 1960 alumnus of PVAMU, Lt. Gen. Becton became the first graduate to attain a star rank in the Armed Forces of the United States. After a unanimous vote by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, he assumed PVAMU’s top leadership role in 1989 as the school’s fifth president. Under his leadership, the University experienced significant improvements in fiscal operations and institutional accreditation by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Colleges, effectively saving the school from devastating financial crises and preserving its status as an academically top-tier educational institution.
From 1991 through 1994, PVAMU Provost Emerita and Professor and Director of the Toni Morrison Writing Program, Dr. Emma Joahanne Thomas-Smith, served as associate provost and associate vice president for Academic Affairs under the leadership of then President Lt. Gen. Becton. She was in daily contact with him as he and Dr. Flossie Marian Byrd, the first female provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, led the University.
“I found him to be direct, fair, respectful, and unafraid to make a decision even when it was very unpopular,” she said. “Problems not faced cannot and will not be addressed.”
Dr. Thomas-Smith noted Lt. Gen. Becton’s transformative impact on institutional integrity during his tenure as the PVAMU leader.
“A university is an academic citadel, but it is also a real business, and its success depends upon its being operated like a business,” she said. “It must have a plan to implement its mission, policies, procedures, and regulations to effectively and efficiently conduct business in each area. During Mr. Becton’s tenure, the University began to address the need to automate business services to ensure appropriate disbursement of funds despite the paucity of fiscal and other resources,” commented Thomas-Smith, now a veteran higher education practitioner.
“Upon his arrival, General Becton faced a different kind of battlefield but a battlefield nonetheless.” In his memoir, “Becton: Autobiography of a Soldier and Public Servant,” he describes in great detail the complex issues he faced upon entering his role as president. “He said that he was determined to ensure that the University would not go into receivership as a result of fiscal problems. He believed he was prepared to set the University on a positive and promising course and did indeed do so,” said Dr. Thomas-Smith. “The foundation was laid for greater fiscal responsibility. PVAMU is fiscally strong.”
Family at the Forefront
Lt. Gen. Becton and his wife Louise, high school sweethearts and PVAMU alumni, played an integral role in shaping the University. They modeled a commitment to both profession and family, leaving a lasting legacy.
The Bectons, who considered Prairie View home, repeatedly expressed their unwavering support for PVAMU both in word and deed.
“PVAMU is in our soul,” said Lt. Gen. Becton and Louise in a previous statement on the University’s impact on the community. “We have seen it as students, faculty members, graduates, and, finally, as its fifth president and first lady. We have no choice but to support the institution that has given so much to us and to literally thousands of others. We have proudly proclaimed to the world that Prairie View A&M University is our school.”
Dr. Thomas-Smith recalled attending university events with her late husband, where they were treated as members of the Becton family. “That relationship grew even stronger after General Becton and Louise returned to their home in Virginia,” she said.
Despite residing half a country away from their Prairie View extended family, the Bectons maintained a significant presence in the community by contributing valuable time and financial support while sharing their wealth of wisdom.
Leadership and Duty
Lt. Gen. Becton’s life was an extraordinary journey marked by unwavering dedication and service, leaving an indelible impact on countless individuals. His influence rippled through the lives of thousands, sharing and shaping the paths of emerging leaders. Among them are luminaries like former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin, III, who stand as testaments to the enduring legacy of his commitment and leadership.
Secretary Austin, the first Black Defense Secretary in U.S. history, said in a public statement that Lt. Gen. Becton was “a mentor and dear friend.” He described Becton as a “model soldier” and a “barrier-breaking leader…whose integrity and professionalism inspired countless Americans.
“Lieutenant General Becton was deeply committed to the institutions that he loved and led, especially the U.S. Army. He decided at a young age that the U.S. Army was his ticket to becoming a responsible, independent man—even in a time when our armed forces were still segregated—and he rose through the Army’s ranks and fought for his country in three wars.”
Lt. Gen. Becton defied the odds, demonstrating unparalleled courage and commitment as he ascended through the ranks of the U.S. Army. His historic achievements culminated in becoming the first Black commander of an Army corps and later attaining the prestigious rank of a three-star Army lieutenant general.
Lt. Gen. Becton’s illustrious military career concluded with his retirement as one of the highest-ranking Black officers, a distinction that paved the way for future generations. Upon retirement from military services, he furthered his legacy by becoming the first-ever Black director of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“That was just a part of his lifelong mission to make our institutions more purposeful, more reliable, and more responsive to the people whom they served,” said Secretary Austin, adding that it was this dedication to people-centered institutions that led to Lt. Gen. Becton’s commitment to pivotal, educational leadership roles at District of Columbia Public Schools and PVAMU.
George Erwin Brown, Ph.D., a retired captain of the U.S. Army and Distinguished Professor of Biology at PVAMU, became one of the many inspired by Becton’s leadership during his time in the PVAMU College Army ROTC.
“I was first introduced to Captain Julius Becton, Jr., as my ROTC instructor in 1957,” said Dr. Brown. “He taught me advanced ROTC very effectively. I was commissioned a second lieutenant.
“The preparation I received from him was valuable for future leadership positions as an Army officer, high school teacher and coach, county extension agent, adult education teacher, university administrator, and tenured professor.”
Following his retirement from the military in 1983, Lt. Gen. Becton embarked on a diverse journey, assuming key roles across the U.S. government, private sector, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Between January 1984 and October 1985, he served as the director of the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance. Subsequently, President Ronald Reagan entrusted him with the directorship of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a position he held from 1985 to 1989.
Becton later transitioned to the private sector, serving as the Chief Operating Officer of American Coastal Industries. Additionally, he was honored with the role of chairman of the Senior Civil Emergency Planning Committee for NATO.
In a 2015 Civil Rights History Project interview sponsored by the Smithsonian Institute and the Library of Congress, Lt. Gen. Becton spoke about his military time as a formative experience.
“We worked hard. We knew what we had to do. We had our jobs to prepare for, and we advanced in the ranks and were respected for what we did,” he said. “Not because we were Black. But because we were good at what we did.”
Honors of a Lifetime
Lt. Gen. Becton’s decorated career is adorned with numerous honors, showcasing his exceptional service and dedication. Among his accolades are the U.S. Army Distinguished Service Medal, two Silver Stars, two Legion of Merit medals, two Purple Hearts, and the Combat Infantryman Badge with a star, commemorating his service in Korea and Vietnam. Additionally, his contributions were internationally recognized with the Knight Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of Germany.
A stalwart figure, Lt. Gen. Becton served as a longstanding member of the board of directors in the Association of the U.S. Army. His exceptional leadership was further underscored by the prestigious George Catlett Marshall Medal, the association’s highest honor. Over the span of three decades, Lt. Gen. Becton’s unwavering commitment and distinction were evident as he led America’s soldiers in combat during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, as well as Cold War operations, as acknowledged in his Marshall Medal recognition.
During a 2017 Black History Month commemoration at AUSA headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, retired Gen. Carter Ham, a former AUSA president and CEO, described Lt. Gen. Becton as a “man who has lived through extraordinary change and service.” He went on to say to Mr. Becton, “You’ve reminded us how far we have come as an Army and a nation. You have made this great country stronger.”
PVAMU will honor the Becton family with a resolution signed by the ninth President, Dr. Tomikia P. LeGrande, recognizing Lt. Gen. Becton’s dedication to PVAMU’s success. The resolution begins with the immortal words of Nelson Mandela: “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
The resolution celebrates Lt. Gen. Becton as a “public servant” and “global citizen…strengthening Prairie View A&M University and placing it on a trajectory toward success.”
To learn more about Lt. Gen. Becton’s storied career and life, read Becton: Autobiography of a Soldier and Public Servant. The Bectons graciously donate a portion of book sales to the University.
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