Mr. Alvin Henry Hill

Alvin Henry Hill was born on May 14, 1940 at St. Agnes Hospital in Raleigh, NC to the late Thelma Christina Hill and the late Alvin Hamilton Powell. He was lovingly reared by his maternal grandmother, the late Lizzie McKinnon Hill in Fayetteville, NC and godparents, the late Fellington and Maggie Bethune. He spent many summers in Harlem, NY with his mother and extended family. He transitioned on July 3, 2023 at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill, NC. Alvin attended public schools in Cumberland County and graduated from E. E. Smith High School in 1958. He joined the US Army and served 3 years as a Medical Specialist before being honorably discharged in 1961. Alvin was a lifelong learner who loved politics, reading, and creative writing. He was a historian, evident by his Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Social Studies, which he obtained from North Carolina College at Durham in 1965. Continuing his studies at NCCU, he pursued a master’s degree in Social Studies. He received his minister’s license from First New Horizon Baptist Church in Clinton, Maryland. To know Alvin is to recognize his love for the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, where he served as undergraduate Dean of Pledgees at NCCU. His ‘brothers’ affectionately called him “Papersack.” Alvin and Jacqueline Jones met at NCCU and married on July 2, 1966. They moved to Craven County, NC where he was employed as a social worker at the Department of Social Services. After a short time, he joined fellow civil rights workers who founded the Coastal Progress Community Action Program. While there, he managed the Neighborhood Youth Corp Program under President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty initiative to develop the economical capacity of local youth in the community. Alvin was later invited to the Robeson County Community Action program to help provide opportunities for young minority law enforcement recruits. Extensive experience in the community led to his further work in Chapel Hill where he participated in the NC Manpower program as a community organizer. After that program was defunded, he applied for a position through the federal registry and was selected. With this appointment, Alvin moved his family to the Washington, DC area and began his career as program specialist in the Administration on Aging with the US Department of Health and Human Services. His work entailed the management and administration of grants for the Western states of Washington, Colorado, and the Reservations in Arizona. Alvin’s career ended when he suffered a stroke in 1994. But God! He survived for 29 years. This life-changing event affected his ability to continue his most prided ministry as church organist. He was trained and grounded at Friendship Baptist Church in Fayetteville. He was the organist at numerous churches in North Carolina: Synama Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Creedmoor and Russell Memorial CME in Durham. In Maryland, he found great delight in playing for various churches: Westphalia United Methodist, Union Bethel AME, and Antioch Baptist Church to name a few. He was appointed the Minister of Music at Mt. Ennon Baptist Church, where he organized the gospel and male choruses. Singing and playing to the glory of God was his lifeline Alvin leaves to cherish his memory, wife of 57 years Jacqueline Jones Hill; son, JaJa Kenyatte Hill (Uranus); grandson, who was the “light of his life,” Abijah Benjamin Cohen-Hill (whom he named); Brother-in-law, Martel Jones (Patricia) and Sister-in-law, Pauline Jones Gore; sibling-like cousins, whom he adored and helped to rear: Gwendolyn Holloman, Kenneth Jones, Sandra Morrisey, Linda Jones, Gary Jones, Wanda Foster, Cheroyl Moody, Pat Dyette, Beverly Wyche, Stephanie Dyette Taylor, Thomas Powell, and Steve Powell; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Mr. Alvin Henry Hill

May 14, 1940 - July 3, 2023