Ralph Frasier, One of the First Black Undergraduates at UNC, Dies at 85

Posted May 23, 2024
Ralph Frasier, who in 1955 became one of the first three Black undergraduate students to attend UNC, died last week. He was 85. Frasier, along with brother LeRoy and John Lewis Brandon, applied to UNC the year after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that “separate but equal” schools for Black and white students were unconstitutional. (Chapelboro.com)

Related: Campus Connections

The multigenerational experiences of being a Tar Heel
Some parents encourage their children to attend their alma mater, while others watch them find their own path to Chapel Hill. Either way, UNC draws...
Wed Jan 28, 2026

UNC students sled, ski and play in the snow: 'The vibe is joyous out here'
In true North Carolina snow day fashion, the streets of Chapel Hill were alive with groups of people sledding on cardboard slabs, attempting to make...
Tue Jan 27, 2026

The Story Behind That Perfect Final Scene in ESPN’s Stuart Scott ‘30 for 30’
The final scene in ESPN’s 30 for 30 “Boo-Yah: A Portrait of Stuart Scott” is a Top 10 highlight if I’ve ever seen one. And...
Sun Jan 25, 2026

UNC-Chapel Hill announces plans to develop campus extension in Carolina North
UNC is proud to announce the development of a new campus extension in Carolina North, a generational investment in its academic mission, public impact, and...
Wed Jan 21, 2026