Background
Frye, Henry E. was born on August 1, 1932 in Ellerbe, North Carolina, United States. Son of Walter A. and Pearl Alma (Motley) Frye.
Frye, Henry E. was born on August 1, 1932 in Ellerbe, North Carolina, United States. Son of Walter A. and Pearl Alma (Motley) Frye.
Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, A & T University, North Carolina, 1953. Juris Doctor with honors, University North Carolina, 1959.
After graduating with honors from North Carolina A&T State University, Frye reached the rank of captain in the United States Air Force, serving in of 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 so-called "literacy" tests. Frye became an assistant United States. Attorney in 1963, one of the first African-Americans to hold such a position in the South.
When Frye was elected to the North Carolina General Assembly as a state representative in 1968, he was the only black North Carolina legislator, and the first elected in the 20th century.
Frye helped eliminate the vestiges of Jim Crow 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"s law school. In 1983, Governor Jim Hunt appointed Frye to the North Carolina Supreme Court 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.
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. In 2009, he became honorary co-chairman of the United States. Senate campaign of Kenneth Lewis.
He was named chairman of the North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership in 2013.
One of Frye"s children, Henry Frye, Junior., also became a lawyer and judge. Frye is the uncle of professional basketball player Channing Frye.
Deacon Providence Baptist Church Captain United States Air Force, 1953-1955. Member American Bar Association, North Carolina Bar Association, Greensboro Bar Association, National Bar Association, American Judicature Society (chair board directors 1995-1997), Kappa Alpha Psi.
Married Edith Shirley Taylor, August 25, 1956. Children: Henry Eric, Harlan Elbert.