Chapel Hill Reflects 50 Years After Historic Election of Howard Lee

Posted May 11, 2019
Monday marked 50 years since Howard Lee became the first African American to be elected mayor of a predominately white town in the south since Reconstruction. Lee recently recounted his election as mayor of Chapel Hill when speaking with town officials. “It was not planned as much as it was accidental,” Lee said. (Chapelboro.com)

Related: Campus Connections

Audio: 100 Years of Kenan Stadium - Commencement VIPs
You never know who you’ll see at Kenan Stadium. For Chapelboro’s own Kenny Dike, his commencement in the spring of 2001 featured a few special...
Tue Sep 29, 2026

A guide to the most iconic UNC campus characters
The beloved campus crossing guards by South Road have left the most positive effect on my time at UNC out of any of the campus...
Sun Sep 27, 2026

Video: Carolina Insider - Ken Cleary On Montross Day Of Service
UNC Assistant Athletic Director for New Media Ken Cleary discusses his role in GoHeels Productions (1:14), his personal journey with cancer and recovery (12:47), and...
Fri Sep 25, 2026

Audio: 100 Years of Kenan Stadium - 'My Most Memorable Day'
Spring commencement is one of the busiest days of the year at Kenan Stadium. It’s an emotional day for UNC graduates, marking the end of...
Thu Sep 24, 2026