Unshakeable faith.
It’s the perfect way to describe the warm smile, caring nature, and open authenticity of Carey H. Latimore IV. Perhaps he would ask us to have unshakable faith in this time of mourning: The beloved Trinity University history professor passed away on July 26 in San Antonio. He was 46.
Latimore joined the Trinity community in 2004 bringing passion and expertise in Black history and the African American experience. He served as the chair of the Department of History from 2011-2020 and was the co-director for the African American Studies minor. A tireless yet cheerful champion of inclusive excellence, he was central to the work of the Trinity University Roots Commission and to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion work across campus. And as a humble advocate and dedicated mentor, Latimore proudly supported Trinity’s Black Student Union and the Phi Alpha Theta history honor society. And he did it all with unshakeable faith.
Among a long list of accolades, Latimore received the Z.T. Scott Faculty Fellowship in 2021, lauded for inspiring students to engage deeply with the African American experience, to learn from complexity and diversity, and to confront challenges with tolerance and empathy. “My favorite aspect is the relationship with students,” he once shared. “To see them work through difficult topics continues to inspire me. The opportunity to be a part of their growth is the greatest blessing that any professor could have.” And he grew alongside them, with unshakeable faith.
Latimore’s work did not stop on Trinity’s campus. He was an associate minister for Mt. Zion First Baptist Church, where he encouraged parishioners to embark on spiritual journeys that prioritized listening and understanding. He also served on the Alamo Museum Planning Committee and the Alamo Citizens Management Committee, contributing to plans that would honor and highlight downtown San Antonio’s place in the history of the civil rights movement. He was a member of the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce, the Bexar County Historical Commission, and the Mayor’s Council on Police and Community Relations, among others. And he served all of these communities with unshakeable faith.
“He put other people at ease when talking about difficult subjects. He always listened and was always willing to hear different perspectives, even if they were competing or contrasting perspectives, on a number of controversial topics,” David Lesch, Ph.D., Trinity University’s Ewing Halsell Distinguished Professor of History, told the San Antonio Express-News. “He had a very distinct method of leadership that really worked, and it was a combination of patience, understanding, empathy and compassion.”
In San Antonio and beyond, Carey Latimore was, for some, a household name: He was frequently asked to serve as a commentator and consultant on current topics such as race, land ownership, political identity, and religion for local, state, and national media organizations. Yet even while he engaged with controversial issues—fighting for the removal of Confederate monuments and opening eyes to the role of slavery in the Texas Revolution, among other topics—he remained hopeful, optimistic, and open to change. And he conveyed it all with unshakeable faith.
Jennifer Mathews, Ph.D., anthropology professor and fellow Z.T. Scott award winner from 2019, shared about Latimore: “His students love his classes,” Mathews says, “and he is often mentioned to me by students as a mentor that has had a big impact on them. He has been instrumental in supporting the African American studies major, bringing the Claude Black papers to campus, getting the Roots Commission up and running, and is one of the most sought-after faculty members for media requests. He gives a lot of himself to the campus and community and is an excellent representative of the campus community to the outside world. He has a wonderful sense of humor, and I am proud to call him my friend and colleague.”
Friend, colleague, committed public intellectual: Carey Latimore was all this and more to generations of students, teachers, and community members. “Each Christian comes with their own unique and difficult story of God’s work in their life,” Latimore wrote in his book, Unshakable Faith: African American Stories of Redemption, Hope, and Community, which was published in January of this year. “In our diverse communities, churches, organizations and political spaces, [Black] history offers us a window into the meaning of America. We can appreciate the strength of a people who refused to be destroyed and who fought and loved their way into our nation’s story.”
Carey—Thank you for becoming a part of Trinity’s story, of San Antonio’s story, of our nation’s story—you anchored your narrative with such unshakeable faith.
And this faith will persevere.
Carey Harvey Latimore IV, Ph.D., was born on October 10, 1975, to Carey III and Ann B. Stephens. He was raised in Middlesex County, Virginia, and married Almie Pachoco on October 29, 2011, in Houston, Texas. Latimore earned his Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Richmond and his doctorate from Emory University.
Latimore was preceded in death by his mother, Ann Bruce Stephens Latimore. He is survived by his wife, Almie Pachoco Latimore; father, Carey H. Latimore, III; sisters, Kim McCarther (Al McCarther) and Kerri Latimore; mother-in-law, Milagros Pachoco; sisters-in-law, Dr. Girlie Figueroa (Mark Figueroa) and Shirlie Pachoco; brother-in-law, Jun Pachoco (Emily Pachoco); nephews, nieces, and a host of family and friends.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, August 2 at Mt. Zion First Baptist Church, 333 Martin Luther King Dr, San Antonio, Texas. The viewing begins at 9 a.m. and the funeral at 10 a.m. The service will also be livestreamed through Mt. Zion’s streaming platform.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish to donate in honor of Carey’s life may make a gift to Trinity University, One Trinity Place, San Antonio, TX 78212 or via Trinity Giving.
Please note that the gift is in honor of Dr. Carey Latimore.
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