Matthew Plante

Matthew Plante was born in Beckley and came to Marshall University where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music education. While at Marshall, he became a member of Young Chapel A.M.E. Church and began playing piano, a talent his grandmother had fostered when she bought his first piano when he was 12 years old. He has served on the church’s board of trustees and is the director of the Senior Choir, pianist for Rainbow Music Ministry and director of the former YCAME Men’s Chorus and Faithful Few Teens Chorus. He has served on the Stewardship and Finance Committee, the Culinary Committee, the Men’s Day Committee as chair, the Church School and the Church Van Ministry.

Plante taught in the Cabell County public school system as a music specialist for 36 years. During his teaching career, he also provided after-school tutoring, after-school day care and was a systems operations specialist.

He has served on the board of directors of Barnett Child Care Center, the Annual Juneteenth Planning Committees and volunteered at community festivals and celebrations. He is a lifetime member of the NAACP, the Huntington-Cabell branch of the NAACP and serves as treasurer and is on the executive committee. He is active with state and national initiatives and is a member of the board of directors of the Fairfield Community Development Corporation. He is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Nu Beta ’74 and founding member of Psi Beta Beta Chapter in Huntington.

Plante has received numerous awards for his work in the community and his commitment to the youth of the community. In 2017, during the annual “Let Your Light Shine” program sponsored by the Senior Choir of Young Chapel A.M.E. Church, the City of Huntington presented a proclamation declaring that day to be Matthew D. Plante Day to acknowledge his 50 years of music ministry.

In 2022, Young Chapel A.M.E. Church presented “The Lady in Red” Award for Music Achievement to Plante for his commitment to God, church and the community.