Pastor Kylon Jerome Middleton

Kylon Jerome Middleton is a transformational, moral leader called in these critical times to be a prophetic voice of justice, equity, and inclusion in America. Born in the paradoxically complex city of Charleston, educated in the public school system in Charleston County, at an early age, Kylon discovered his purpose and became an agent for positive change in the community.  

Driven, focused, and determined, Kylon established himself as a community organizer and an influencer to help mobilize communities around issues that historically create marginalization, separation, and division. Kylon is a unifier and seeks to use his passion and energy for reconciliation and healing to bring people together from diverse constituencies of the community, in dialogue, to build bridges of common interests, shared values, and collective priorities.

Kylon’s passion and energy undergird the steady beat of justice that motivates him to be a conscientious, empathetic thought leader who is not afraid to confront the issues of the day with sensitivity, fairness, transparency, and respect with the primary goal of coalescing the community around our mutual greater purpose.

Kylon Jerome Middleton’s life is a witness of the grace, mercy, and unfailing love of God.  The son of Vertelle M. Middleton and the late James Middleton, II, Kylon was reared with strong, Christian values. A lifelong member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, he began preaching at the age of 8 and has dedicated his life to service and building God’s Kingdom through ministries of reconciliation, healing and love. 

A credible, knowledgeable and prepared leader, Kylon always knew that education was the key to a productive future.   He graduated from Burke High School and matriculated to the College of Charleston, where he graduated at the age of 18 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Communications.  Kylon has received the following graduate degrees: Master of Divinity degree, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary – Columbia, South Carolina; Master of School Administration, Educational Specialist, and Doctor of Education degrees, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Master of Theology and Doctor of Philosophy degrees, Duke University – Durham, North Carolina. 

Kylon Jerome Middleton has enjoyed an outstanding career in education in secondary and post-secondary institutions in South and North Carolinas. He began his professional career as an Admissions Counselor at the College of Charleston, and, later, the Director of the College of Charleston’s Upward Bound Program.  On the college level, he taught: introductory level English courses as well as the College of Charleston’s Freshman Seminar course; English, Communications, and Religious Studies courses at Allen University in Columbia, SC;. Divinity School at Duke University as well as English courses to freshmen in the undergraduate degree program in Durham, NC.

On the secondary level, Kylon taught high school English at his alma mater, Burke High School, where he served as department chair.  He also taught English in the Durham Public Schools and later became an Assistant Principal and Principal in Durham Public Schools, Brunswick County Schools, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, and Harnett County Schools systems in North Carolina.  Kylon retired from the state of North Carolina in December 2014.

Kylon Jerome Middleton gives praises to God for his stewardship as a successful Pastor in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He has served the following Churches: Saint Paul AME Church, North Charleston (Supply); Pine Grove AME Church, Columbia, SC (Associate); Lever Chapel AME Church, Prosperity, SC; Saint Joseph’s AME Church, Durham, NC (Associate); Singleton AME Church, Georgetown, SC; Hopewell AME Church, Hemingway, SC, where God blessed him and the congregation to construct a $3.5 million worship complex to His glory. Kylon led the congregation at Hopewell in successfully hosting the 98th Session of the Palmetto South Carolina Annual Conference.  

Kylon Jerome Middleton is the 33rd Pastor of Historic Mount Zion AME Church on Glebe Street in Charleston, SC in the heart of the campus of his alma mater, the College of Charleston.  Kylon is extremely active in the work of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, where he is leading the congregation in a multi-million dollar restoration, renovation, and expansion project. He is the Seventh Episcopal District Dean of the Board of Examiners, serves in the leadership of the South Carolina Annual Conference Board of Examiners, and is a leading Pastor on the Charleston District of the AME Church. Kylon was a delegate at the 51st Quadrennial Session of the General Conference of the AME Church, where he also served as Vice Chair of the Revisions Committee of the General Church and on the Compiling and Editing Committee for the 2021 Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Kylon Jerome Middleton preached the Annual Sermon at the Opening Convocation of the 99th Session of the Palmetto South Carolina Annual Conference in August 2009, which is a distinct honor for a seasoned Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Additionally, he preached the Word of God at the Women’s Missionary Society’s Night in White at the 158th Session of the South Carolina Annual Conference in September 2021.

Kylon Jerome Middleton is a dynamic, charismatic leader. In 2020, he was elected to the Charleston County Council, District 6 seat, the first person of color to hold the seat in the history of Charleston County.  His leadership, presence and impact on Council have already yielded proven, measurable results for the citizens of Charleston County.

Kylon led the City of Charleston's Illumination Project, whose mission is to build relationships of trust between the law enforcement and the communities they serve.  He is the YWCA Tri-County MLK Ecumenical Chairperson, Charleston 350th Community Outreach and Service Committee Chairperson, a member of the Social Justice Racial Equity Collaborative, member of Coastal Community Foundation G&L Committee, Charleston Forum Board of Directors, Immediate Past Chapter President-Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Vice-President of the Charleston National Pan Hellenic Council, WM-Boaz Lodge No. 309 F&AM PHA, member of Progressive Chapter No. 310 OES, a member of the Robert B. Elliott Holy Royal Arch Masons, member of the George Washington Carver Consistory No. 162, and a 33° GIG of the United Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Prince Hall Affiliation, Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America, Inc., and a life member of the Charleston Branch of the NAACP.

Kylon has one son, Kylon Joshua Middleton, a graduate student at East Carolina University, working on a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice, who is his pride and joy. With all of his many accomplishments, Kylon acknowledges that he could not do any of these things without God. The most important achievement in his life is that he is a child of God.