The Aggie Legacy of Chief Justice Henry E. Frye (Part I)

Very few alumni in the history of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University represent Aggie excellence as highly as Chief Justice Henry E. Frye ‘53. The son of farmers from Ellerbe, North Carolina, emerged from four years of study at the Negro Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina to become the first of many historic accomplishments.

Frye was the first African American to complete the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill three-year law program in 1959, the first Black assistant district attorney in the United States in 1963, the first African American in North Carolina’s House of Representatives in the 20^th Century in 1968, and our state’s first Supreme Court justice of color in 1983.

The lifelong connection and affinity for North Carolina A&T shared with his wife, educator, community advocate, and nonprofit leader, Shirley T. Frye ‘53, an Aggie legend in her own right, has led to the gift of their personal collection to the F.D. Bluford Library Archives and Special Collections. With their collection, plus articles from The A&T Register newspaper and the 1953 Ayantee yearbook to which the Fryes contributed as students, we can see how Aggieland helped shape a young man from Richmond County, North Carolina, into a champion of law, civil rights, economics and social justice.

A 17-year-old Frye first came to A&T in Fall 1949. He was an outstanding student who led and participated in several student organizations. He was a member of the Student Legislative Assembly, which met in the North Carolina State Capitol. During his second year, he was elected Speaker Pro Tem of the House that oversaw meetings and debates between A&T and UNC-Chapel Hill students that took place in the House and Senate Chambers.

On one memorable occasion, a debate stirred out of control between students from the two campuses, and Frye restored order after banging the gavel. Unbeknownst to anyone in the room, he would be elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives 15 years later and serve with distinction as chief justice.

During his time at A&T, Frye was a member of the Alpha Kappa Mu Honorary Society where he served as dean of pledges. Among the new freshmen, he delivered a pledge to E. Shirley Taylor of Freemont, North Carolina – the future Mrs. Shirley T. Frye. Before a romance began to blossom, the two worked together as feature writers for The A&T Register. He was also the literary editor of the 1953 Ayantee Yearbook and “E. Shirley” was among his staff.

Frye and members from the Mu Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. were charter members of the new A&T NAACP Youth Council Chapter that formed in 1952.

A surprise to many today, Frye was a four-year member of the Richard B. Harrison Players. The A&T Register noted his “splendid performance” for his first role in “The Little Foxes” in Fall 1949. He was also president of the Dramatic Club in his junior year and acted in plays at neighboring Bennett College. In his senior year, he had a lead role in Emlyn Williams’ “The Corn Is Green.” This production was a thesis directed by the acclaimed Shauneille Perry during her year teaching at A&T. In the tradition of the great Richard B. Harrison, Frye’s acting demonstrated a great understanding of elocution.

On June 5, 1953, Frye graduated from the A&T College with a B.S., with highest honors and meritorious service awards for drama and religious activities on campus. He graduated as a second lieutenant in the Air Force, serving in Korea and Japan, and rose to the rank of captain.

When returned from his military service, he enrolled in the School of Law at UNC-Chapel Hill. At the time, he was the only African American student. He graduated from law school and passed the bar exam in 1959, then opened his own law practice in Greensboro, where he and his wife settled.

During the 1960s, Frye continued to practice law and became increasingly involved in community activities and politics. In 1969, he became the first African American elected to the North Carolina General Assembly. Serving in the House from 1969 to 1980 and in the Senate from 1981 to 1982, he worked to address racial issues through the legislature. Notably, he introduced legislation to abolish literacy tests for voter registration.

During the 1970s, Frye was a founding member of the Greensboro National Bank, which was established to offer African Americans a more discernible role in business. He served as the bank’s president for its first 10 years in existence.

In 1983, Frye was appointed to the North Carolina Supreme Court. His election to the Supreme Court was one of the most astounding moments in the Aggie Pride boom of the 1980s, along with the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. ‘63 running for president and Dr. Ronald E. McNair ‘71 ascending into space.

The next year, Frye was elected by North Carolina constituents to continue his service on that court.

In back issues of The A&T Register and The Alumni Times, the phrase “making history” was used to describe Frye again and again. In the columns where he once wrote headline news as student writer, he was now the headliner and a hero to new generations of Aggies.

The Henry and Shirley Frye Collection was gifted to the F.D. Bluford Library by the Fryes from 2020 to the present. Their collection is one of the most comprehensive ever acquired from alumni and includes materials from as early as 1947. Faculty and staff in the F.D. Bluford Library are working continuously to arrange this collection for research.

For more information about this story or any topic in A&T history, please email the University Archives at libraryarchives@ncat.edu.

Author: James Stewart ’08