Blakely N. Scott, a native of Columbia, SC and son of the late Lillie Mae Neal Scott and the late Blakely Scott, Jr., is a product of the public school system of Columbia, a graduate of Palmer College, the University of South Carolina, Morris College School of Religion, and the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. He was conferred the honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree by Morris College in May 1993.
He is Pastor of the First Nazareth Baptist Church, Columbia and Moderator of the Midlands Baptist Association, Inc. In December of 2017, he retired as Pastor of the Mount Moriah Baptist Church, Hopkins, mid the 40th year of his tenure. In May of 2017, he relinquished his responsibilities as an instructor in the Morris College School of Religion Extension Program. In May 1998, he retired from Benedict College where he began as Assistant Director of Auxiliary Services, later serving as College Minister, then as Instructor of Religion and Philosophy.
He served as Moderator of the Wateree Baptist Association-Upper Division from 1981-January, 2000, Dean of the Young People’s Christian Assembly-Benedict College from 1985-2001, and Assistant Secretary and Secretary of the Gethsemane Baptist Association.
He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Morris College, on the Hospice Board at Baptist Medical Center, Community Care, Inc. board, the Connie Maxwell Children’s Home (Greenwood, S.C.) Advisory Board, and the Columbia Housing Development Corporation Board.
He is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., a Prince Hall Mason, and a member of Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity.
His awards and honors include: Outstanding Young Man of the Year; Living the Legacy Award-Columbia Section of the National Council of Negro Women; Who’s Who in the South and Southeast; Who’s Who In Religion; Business Associate of the Year-Columbia, S.C. Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association; Business Associate of the Year-Midlands Chapter, American Business Women’s Association. In 2004, he was inducted into the Columbia (S.C.) Housing Authority’s Wall of Fame and was awarded the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor. He was the first recipient of the African American Male IMAGE Award in Ministry, presented by the Columbia Alumni Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. in 2008. He was presented the Key to the City by Mayor Robert Coble. He received a community leadership award from Columbia City Council District II in 2009. He was honored as Pastor of the Year by the Progressive National Baptist Convention at its annual convention in August 2009. In March 2010, he was the Founder’s Day speaker at Benedict College. In 2013, he was presented the Distinguished Service Non Alumni Award by Benedict College’s National Alumni Association. In 2017, he was presented the Community Service Award by the SC Midlands Chapter of the Charmettes, Inc. In 2018, he was recognized for outstanding service by Beta Epsilon Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.
He is married to the former Mary Brooks, and they are the parents of two daughters, Mina S. Barnes and M’lilian L. Scott. They also have one grandson, James Blakely Scott Barnes, and a great-granddaughter, Karcyn Lanette Robinson Barnes.
He has a passion for the preaching of the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to Whom he owes everything. He embraces Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”