Dr. Walter Milton, Jr. is a native of Rochester, New York. He received his K-12 education from the Rochester City School District. He is a proud product of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. He earned a B.A. from the University of Albany and an M.S. from SUNY College at Brockport. He took postgraduate courses at the University of Rochester to receive his administrative certifications, including his superintendent’s license. He holds a Doctorate of Education degree in leadership and policy from the University of Buffalo.
Dr. Milton started his career in education in 1991 as a junior high school teacher for the Webster Central School District in Webster, New York, and then moved on to Brighton Central School District, a National Renowned School District in Brighton, New York. Through the years, he moved from being a teacher to principal, central administration, and then to Superintendent of Fallsburg Central District, Fallsburg, New York. In 2005, he became Superintendent of Flint Community Schools, Flint, Michigan where he designed and implemented a district-wide education reform that has been recognized throughout the State of Michigan and other parts of the country. He is the former superintendent in Springfield, Illinois, where he served as superintendent for almost eight years. Throughout his educational career, Dr. Milton has received numerous awards and recognitions.
In addition to his academic and professional pursuits, Dr. Milton is an inventor who holds a patent. Through his vision, he has had the ability to motivate educational organizations and communities to develop and support initiatives/programs that encourage students to achieve their highest potential. He is a focused and disciplined leader with a great vision, effective communication skills, and a passion for students in the midst of triumph or adversity.
Dr. Milton has also taught at several universities across the United States. He is also a published author of Parents Perception of Schools and Schools Perception of Parents, (2006), Me in the Making – One Man’s Journey to Becoming a School Superintendent (2008), Why Black Men Must Save Black Boys in America’s Public Schools (2014), Truth Be Told-Narratives from The Souls of Black Women (2018) and Black History 365-An Inclusive Account of American History (2020).
BH365 was birthed from his passion for history and a traumatic 4th-grade classroom experience with his teacher attempting to teach black history, starting with slavery. This lesson was contradictory to what his parents had taught – that black history dates back to the beginning of time. In 2018, he began to research and write, spending many tireless evenings crafting the manuscript. A year later, Dr. Milton invited his friend, Dr. Joel Freeman to join him on the Black History 365 project.
Dr. Milton is currently CEO of Black History 365 (BH365) and From the Heart International Educational Services (FTH).