Greensboro’s Key to the City going to Henry and Shirley Frye; How they became civil rights icons

GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — Mayor Nancy Vaughan will present Justice Henry Frye and his wife Shirley with the “prestigious” Key to the City, the City of Greensboro announced in a press release Thursday.

The Fryes made a name for themselves through tremendous contributions to the Greensboro community, to the state of North Carolina, to nonprofit, academic, civic and professional organizations and to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, the Fryes’ alma mater from which they both graduated in 1953.

According to the A&T Alumni website , “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.”

On Aug. 24, 1956, Frye attempted to register to vote but was denied due to an alleged failure of a literacy test. He decided to become a lawyer, heading to the University of North Carolina School of Law with no idea he’d later break barriers at the school and in the state.

The next day, Frye married Shirley Taylor, his sweetheart he met in 1950 while on A&T’s debate team.

In a 1955 edition of the “Alumni Newsletter,” which predates the “A&T Today,” Frye was listed as one of the youngest alumni donors to the university, the alumni website states . He later served as the parliamentarian for the NC A&T State University Alumni Association. In 1972, Frye became the first recipient of A&T’s Alumni Excellence Award, the highest honor presented to active alumni.

The alumni website also highlights the achievements of Shirley Taylor Frye, the first African American president of the YMCA of Greensboro. She has been involved in more than 100 associations and affiliations, serving on the Greensboro City Schools Board of Education, being vice chairwoman of the United Way of Greensboro and administrating at Bennett College and NC A&T. She was also the vice president of community relations for Greensboro’s CBS-affiliate television station for more than 10 years.

She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., The Links, 100 Black Women, Women Administrators in Education and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Frye also has an endowed scholarship in her honor for NC A&T journalism students, nicknamed “Crosby Kids,” and was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of North Carolina’s highest civilian honors from the governor.

In April 2022, A&T established the Justice Henry E. and Shirley T. Frye Archival Collection , featuring the couple’s personal archives, professional documents and artifacts.

“I am proud that my alma mater, which gave me my foundation to do all I was able to do, is receiving this collection,” Frye said.

On Feb. 20, a bronze statue dedicated to the Fryes was unveiled in Center City Park .

In May, A&T’s former Academic Classroom Building was renamed Henry E. and Shirley T. Frye Hall .

A community celebration will occur Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 6 p.m. at Center City Park in front of the bronze statue erected in the couple’s honor. There will be a performance by NC A&T’s Cold Steel Drumline and Blue and Gold Marching Machine.

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