Payton, Carolyn R., 1925-2001

Carolyn R. Payton (b. May 13, 1925, Norfolk, VA–d. April 11, 2001, Washington, DC) was the first woman and first black director of Peace Corps (1977-1978). She attended Bennett College and received a MS in clinical psychology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and an Ed.D. in counseling and student administration from Columbia University, Teachers College. Before the Peace Corps she taught psychology at Livingstone College in Salisbury, N.C., Virginia State University, Howard University, and what is now Elizabeth City (N.C.) State University. She began as a volunteer in the Peace Corps in 1964 and, in 1967, was appointed as Country Director for the Caribbean region. She rejoined Howard University, where she had been an assistant professor of psychology from 1959 to 1964. After leaving the Peace Corps, she worked at Howard University and served as director of university counseling services and helped develop an internship-training center before retiring in 1995.