Happy 103rd Birthday to Mr. Nathaniel Hines ’52

One of North Carolina A&T’s oldest alumnus Mr. Nathaniel Hines ’52, celebrated another milestone birthday by turning 103 years on Sept. 28.

Hines was born Sept. 28, 1920, to Cicero and Amanda Hines in Bladenboro, North Carolina. Before attending A&T, he enlisted in the U.S. Army on June 11, 1941, during World War II and completed tours of duty in France, Germany, Belgium, and Japan within four and half years.

“After I was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army, I read about North Carolina A&T, and my late wife, Lottie, encouraged me to attend,” he said. “I was a non-traditional student, married with two daughters, and I lived in military housing near Market Street.”

While at A&T, Hines worked full-time with the U.S. Department of State and served as president of the Business Students. In 1952, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in commercial education with a concentration in accounting. After graduation, he worked in Washington, D.C., for the federal government and city government. His wife, Lottie Odell Baldwin, passed away April 22, 1964.

That same year, Hines accepted an assignment with the Peace Corps in Liberia, West Africa, where he served as an associate director. After two years, he completed his assignment and returned to the United States and remarried to Ivory Jean Chamblee.

In 1970, Hines moved to Raleigh, North Carolina and was employed by the North Carolina Community Action Agency. He later accepted a role as an internal auditor with North Carolina State University where he would retire in 1987, a year after his wife, Ivory passed away.

Hines is still an active member of the Raleigh-Wake Alumni Chapter where a scholarship is in his honor. Also, he is known for being active with his church, Rush Metropolitan AME Zion Church, where he served on the board of trustees, Sunday school team, music ministry, Sons of Varick Men’s Fellowship and other ministries. He is also known to be a fitness enthusiast, before the pandemic, he went to the gym three times a week and walked 3.5 miles.

“Aggie Pride means so much to me and I get fired up and excited when I hear it. I bleed blue and gold,” he said. “I used to attend all of the homecoming games and my kids and grandkids would always ask me what I wanted for my birthday, and I would say, ‘Money for homecoming.’”

For Hines 103rd birthday celebration, family and friends showed their love with a drive thru at his senior living complex.