Humber, Robert Lee, 1898-1970

Robert Lee Humber, Jr. (1898-1970) was a lawyer, legislator, business executive, cultural leader, and founder of the Movement for World Federation. Dubbed as "Greenville's greatest contribution to the world," Humber was a native son of Greenville, graduated from Wake Forest, attended Harvard University and Oxford University, volunteered for World War I, and was chosen as a Rhodes Scholar. After the Nazi invasion of France in 1940, Humber and his family returned to Greenville from Europe where he single-handedly launched a "movement" for World Federation. Because of that movement, the NC General Assembly passed his resolution in 1941, becoming the first legislative body in history to endorse World Federation. Humber traveled to other states over a period of ten years, and as a result, his resolution was adopted by 16 more states. Humber was also involved local politics serving as the Democratic state senator from Pitt County, N.C. for a period. In his studies abroad and at home, Humber developed an appreciation for the arts, and established the NC Museum of Art. He served on dozens of councils and commissions, helped establish the NC Community College system, the NC Symphony, and was President of the Pitt County Historical Society from 1964 to 1968. Humber was also heavily involved in the Southern Baptist denomination, and he married to Lucie Berthier. The couple had three children: Marcel B., John L., and Eileen Genivieve.