Reverend Pride was born December 11, 1911, the son of Roy and Anna Hale Pride, in Prescott, Arkansas. He received his theological training at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and was awarded his Doctor of Divinity degree from Survine Ministries Bible College and Theological Seminary.

Ordained as a Baptist minister, he served the Pilgrim Baptist Church in Rockford Illinois as an associate minister and was called to the New Zion Baptist Church in Beloit in 1957 as its pastor, where he would serve his church for the next 32 years. During his tenure and under his leadership, New Zion acquired a new and spacious sanctuary for his growing congregation when the church purchased and renovated what had been Waterman School, where it is presently located, and in 1994 Rev. Pride marched with his congregation into the new church.

Rev Pride delivered his final sermon at New Zion on January 7, 1990 and was later named as Pastor Emeritus.

He was an active participant in the leadership of his church, such as the Wisconsin State Baptist Convention where he served as its chairman, attended American Baptist Conventions in Detroit, Atlantic City, San Francisco, Boston, Minneapolis and Lincoln, Nebraska, and was active in prison ministries for the Wisconsin Correctional System as chaplain and in counseling programs. In Beloit he was a member of the Beloit Community Ministers Fellowship, served in the Beloit Police Department Chaplain Program and one of the founding members of the Beloit Coalition.

Rev. Pride was one of the founding members and organizers of OIC and long- time board member of the Beloit Chapter of NAACP.
In recognition of his years of service to his congregation and his community, the Beloit City Council, in 1994, renamed Shore Park on the banks of the Rock River to the Rev. U.S. Pride Park.

The Rev. U.S. Pride marched into history at the side of Martin Luther King in the famous Civil Rights March from Selma to Montgomery at the side of thousands of other courageous civil rights leaders and just common folk seeking equality. He also had the sad honor of attending the funeral for Dr. King after his murder.

Rev. Pride married Vivian D. Freeman on July 30, 1930 and eleven children were born to their union. Vivian predeceased Rev. Pride and in 1985 he married Leanna Morrow, who survived him. Rev. Pride died in 2000 and was survived by four daughters – Ann Bennett, Barbara Lett, Georgia Euler and Debra Pride and five sons, Ulysses, Roy, Tracy, Dale and David, along with 24 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren. A Daughter, Rose and son John, predeceased Rev. Pride.

A shepherd to his flock, a leader to his community, a model for his children, and a pace setter for the principles of civil rights and equality for all, the Rev. U.S. Pride joins the Beloit Hall of Fame as an example of a man who dedicated his life to his ministry and God.