Pastor, Presiding Elder
Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church
Rev. Dr. Derrill Antonio Blue, a native of Broadway, North Carolina, is the son of Jerry and Gail Quick. After graduating Lee Senior High School (class of 2001), Dr. Blue earned his undergraduate degrees in Business Management from North Carolina A&T State University and Organizational Leadership from the University of Memphis. He went on to receive his Master of Divinity from Saint Paul School of Theology in Oklahoma City and, in 2024, earned his Doctor of Ministry in Transformational Leadership from Boston University.
Dr. Blue preached his initial sermon on June 9, 2002, and began his pastoral career at the age of 23. Over the years, he has faithfully served multiple A.M.E. Zion congregations across North Carolina, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Connecticut. In December 2017, he was appointed Pastor of Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church in Rochester, NY, and, in July 2018, became the Presiding Elder of the Rochester-Syracuse District.
In addition to his pastoral duties, Dr. Blue brings a wealth of experience from the banking sector and higher education, specializing in assessment and accreditation. He serves as a Cultural Ambassador to the Yale Clinical Research Program and is an adjunct professor at Northeastern Seminary.