Fred Hunter
Newspaper manager Frederick Fenton Hunter was born on June 15, 1936 in Asheville, North Carolina to Marjorie and Ray Hunter. Hunter’s parents divorced, and the family moved to Evanston, Illinois when he was eight. Hunter was an outstanding athlete at Evanston Township High School, where he graduated in 1954. He then enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he spent three years, mostly stationed in Southern California. After his discharge, he enrolled in Illinois State University, a teaching college in Normal, Illinois. He earned his B.A. degree in social science with a minor in Spanish in 1962.
Hunter took a job teaching in the Chicago Public School System until he began work as a sales representative for the American Oil Company (Amoco) in 1965. In 1969, Hunter was able to secure his own Amoco filling station, which became very successful.
Looking for a new career path, Hunter earned his M.A. degree in public administration at Roosevelt University in Chicago. Because government jobs during the Reagan Administration of the 1980s were slim, he began working part-time as a newspaper deliveryman for The Chicago Tribune. Hunter’s ethic for hard work was noticed by his superiors, and he was offered a full-time position as a district manager for Evanston and Skokie, Illinois. Over the next few years, Hunter climbed up the managerial ladder, reaching the level of department head in 1990. Eventually, Hunter was promoted to Tribune Corporate Headquarters as the first Director of Diversity Management in 1996, a position he retired from four years later. Hunter mentored dozens of minority employees at The Chicago Tribune and now lives with his wife in South Carolina.
Frederick Hunter was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on April 24, 2007.
A2007.157
Male
4/24/2007
Hunter
Married
Evanston Township High School
Nichols Middle School
Wilbur Wright College
Saint Mary's School
Hill Street School
Illinois State University
Roosevelt University
Fred
Asheville
HUN06
Spring
North Carolina
San Diego, California
None

Illinois
6/15/1936
Chicago
United States
Fried Chicken
Newspaper manager Fred Hunter (1936 - ) was the former director of diversity management for the Tribune Company.
Tribune Company
Chicago Public Schools
Standard Oil of Indiana; Amoco Corporation
Chicago Tribune
Blue
Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Fred Hunter's interview
Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Fred Hunter lists his favorites
Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Fred Hunter describes his mother's family background, pt. 1
Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Fred Hunter describes his mother's family background, pt. 2
Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Fred Hunter describe the wealth disparity in Asheville, North Carolina
Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Fred Hunter describes his father's family background
Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Fred Hunter describes his father's personality and early occupations
Tape: 1 Story: 8 - Fred Hunter describes his father's U.S. military career
Tape: 1 Story: 9 - Fred Hunter describes how his parents met
Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Fred Hunter remembers his father's later life
Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Fred Hunter describes his parents' personalities and who he takes after
Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Fred Hunter describes his earliest childhood memory
Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Fred Hunter remembers shopping at department stores in Chicago, Illinois
Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Fred Hunter describes the sights, sounds and smells of his childhood
Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Fred Hunter recalls the influence of Jackie Robinson's baseball career
Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Fred Hunter remembers the black football players at Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Illinois
Tape: 2 Story: 8 - Fred Hunter describes the prominent African American families in Evanston, Illinois
Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Fred Hunter recalls the Hill Street School in Asheville, North Carolina
Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Fred Hunter describes his mother's reasons for enrolling him at St. Mary's School in Evanston, Illinois
Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Fred Hunter describes his experiences at St. Mary's School
Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Fred Hunter remembers Nichols Junior High School in Evanston, Illinois
Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Fred Hunter recalls the start of the Korean War
Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Fred Hunter describes his football career at Evanston Township High School
Tape: 3 Story: 7 - Fred Hunter talks about his religious upbringing
Tape: 3 Story: 8 - Fred Hunter remembers the music and entertainment of his childhood
Tape: 3 Story: 9 - Fred Hunter describes his decision to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps
Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Fred Hunter remembers his time in the U.S. Marine Corps
Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Fred Hunter describes his decision to become a teacher
Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Fred Hunter describes his experiences at Illinois State Normal University in Normal, Illinois
Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Fred Hunter recalls his teaching career in the Chicago Public Schools
Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Fred Hunter describes his decision to work for Standard Oil of Indiana
Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Fred Hunter remembers the riots of 1968 in Chicago, Illinois
Tape: 4 Story: 7 - Fred Hunter recalls how he acquired a service station from Standard Oil of Indiana
Tape: 4 Story: 8 - Fred Hunter reflects upon the benefits of business ownership
Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Fred Hunter recalls how he came to work for the Tribune Company
Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Fred Hunter describes his career at the Tribune Company
Tape: 5 Story: 3 - Fred Hunter shares his advice to businesspeople of color
Tape: 5 Story: 4 - Fred Hunter remembers his mentorship of younger employees at the Tribune Company
Tape: 5 Story: 5 - Fred Hunter talks about his retirement from the Tribune Company
Tape: 5 Story: 6 - Fred Hunter describes his hopes and concerns for the African American community
Tape: 5 Story: 7 - Fred Hunter reflects upon his life
Tape: 5 Story: 8 - Fred Hunter reflects upon his legacy
Tape: 5 Story: 9 - Fred Hunter talks about his wife and sons
Tape: 5 Story: 10 - Fred Hunter describes how he would like to be remembered
1$1
2$4
4$6