Henry E. Frye (born August 1, 1932) is an American judge and politician who served as the first
African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...
chief justice of the
North Carolina Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of North Carolina is the state of North Carolina's highest appellate court. Until the creation of the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the 1960s, it was the state's only appellate court. The Supreme Court consists ...
.
Early life and education
Henry Frye was born August 1, 1932, in
Ellerbe,
Richmond County, North Carolina. He was 8th of 12 children, born to Walter Atlas and Pearl Motley Frye. His parents were tobacco and cotton farmers. He went to the Ellerbe Colored High School, but by accident he obtained a
diploma
A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or offici ...
from Ellerbe High School, the white one. After graduating with honors from
North Carolina A&T State University, Frye reached the rank of captain in the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
, serving in Korea and Japan. Upon returning to North Carolina, Frye was inspired to become a lawyer when he was denied the ability to register to vote by
literacy test
A literacy test assesses a person's literacy skills: their ability to read and write have been administered by various governments, particularly to immigrants. In the United States, between the 1850s and 1960s, literacy tests were administered t ...
s. He was the only African American in his law school, but despite this Frye mentions never feeling as if he was treated differently. He graduated from the
University of North Carolina School of Law
The University of North Carolina School of Law is the law school of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Established in 1845, Carolina Law is among the oldest law schools in the United States and is the oldest law school in North Carol ...
.
Career
Frye became an assistant
U.S. Attorney
United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal c ...
in 1963, one of the first African-Americans to hold such a position in the South. Five years later, when Frye was elected to the
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...
as a state representative in 1968, he was the only black North Carolina legislator, and the first elected in the 20th century. No other African American had been elected to this position since 1889, which was John E. Hussey who represented the county of Craven, North Carolina. He was sworn-in to the
North Carolina House of Representatives
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the North Ca ...
on January 15, 1969. Frye helped eliminate the vestiges of
Jim Crow
The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States. Other areas of the United States were affected by formal and informal policies of segregation as well, but many states outside the Sout ...
from North Carolina law. He was re-elected several times to the state House, serving until 1980, and served one term in the state Senate from 1981 to 1982. During this time, he was also an instructor at
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University (NCCU or NC Central) is a public historically black university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by James E. Shepard in affiliation with the Chautauqua movement in 1909, it was supported by private funds from b ...
's law school.
In 1983, Governor
Jim Hunt
James Baxter Hunt Jr. (born May 16, 1937) is an American politician and retired attorney who was the List of governors of North Carolina, 69th and 71st Governor of North Carolina (1977–1985, and 1993–2001). He is the longest-serving governo ...
appointed Frye to the
North Carolina Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of North Carolina is the state of North Carolina's highest appellate court. Until the creation of the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the 1960s, it was the state's only appellate court. The Supreme Court consists ...
as an associate justice, the first African-American to hold that position in North Carolina history. Elected in 1984 to the court and re-elected in 1992, Jim Hunt appointed Frye to the state's highest judicial post, chief justice, in 1999 to replace the retiring
Burley Mitchell
Burley Bayard Mitchell Jr. (born December 15, 1940) is an American jurist and former Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. He received his bachelor's degree from North Carolina State University and his J.D. degree from the Universit ...
. He was defeated for election to a full term in 2000 by Associate Justice
I. Beverly Lake.
Frye currently practices law with Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Awards and honors
In 2007, Frye received the
North Carolina Award for public service. In 2009, he became honorary co-chairman of the U.S. Senate campaign of
Kenneth Lewis. He was named chairman of the North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership in 2013.
In 2014, the General Alumni Association had awarded Frye with the Distinguished Service Medal.
In 2015 a portrait of him was dedicated to him.
In 2017 he was invited to participate at the
University of North Carolina School of Law
The University of North Carolina School of Law is the law school of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Established in 1845, Carolina Law is among the oldest law schools in the United States and is the oldest law school in North Carol ...
's
Constitution Day celebration.
In 2018 a bridge was named in his honor.
Family
One of Frye's children, Henry Frye Jr., also became a lawyer and judge.
Frye is the uncle of professional basketball player
Channing Frye.
See also
*
List of African-American jurists
References
External links
"Henry Frye: North Carolina's First African American Chief Justice" by Howard CovingtonBiographical Conversations with Henry Fryeby
UNC-TV
{{DEFAULTSORT:Frye, Henry
1932 births
Living people
Democratic Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives
Democratic Party North Carolina state senators
United States Air Force officers
North Carolina A&T State University alumni
North Carolina Central University faculty
Chief Justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court
African-American judges
People from Ellerbe, North Carolina
African-American state legislators in North Carolina
21st-century African-American people
20th-century African-American people