Dr. Malcom Lester was a white man born in Georgetown, Georgia, on December 9, 1924. He died on March 8, 2008 in Mooresville, North Carolina. He was married to his wife Pauline “Polly” Domingos for over 50 years.

Dr. Lester was a graduate of Mercer University, where he also served as a professor and Dean of Faculty before joining Davidson College. He was received into Phi Beta Kappa at the University of Virginia, where he earned his PhD in History. Dr. Lester taught at Davidson College until his retirement in 1989. While at Davidson College, he was for many years Chair of the History Department and Director of the Davidson College program at Cambridge University. During these years he and his wife traveled extensively throughout Europe. Dr. Lester served in the elite position as a Senator for Phi Beta Kappa and was the secretary of the Davidson College Chapter of many years. He also was a member of the Royal Historical Society.

Dr. Lester was also a churchman. For over 47 years he was a member of the Davidson College Presbyterian Church, and an elder there for 40 years. He served as a permanent commissioner to Presbytery, as moderator of Mecklenburg Presbytery in 1974, and as commissioner to the Presbyterian general assembly in 1976.