Member Focus

Celebrating Black History Month and Past Presidents of Color

Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate the richness of Black history and culture, recognizing and honoring the resilience, contributions and achievements of Black Americans. To commemorate the observance, NCBA Past Presidents Charles Becton (2008-9), Jacqueline Grant (2018-19) and Clayton Morgan (2022-23) reflected on highlights during their terms as presidents of color, as well as how their identity shaped their leadership, upbringing and legal careers.

Charles Becton, 2008-9 NCBA/F President

Charles Becton’s 2009 President’s Perspective outlines a year of achievements. Focused on serving the public and improving the image of the legal profession and justice system, programs like N.C. LEAP (now Entrepreneurs Assistance Program), 4ALL Service Day (now NC Lawyers on Call) and law-related education initiatives like “Lawyers in Schools” and “We the People” were prominent highlights. The Young Lawyers Division stayed busy with its several injustice initiatives like Wills for Heroes, Project Salute, “Ask-a-Lawyer” events, Legal Feeding Frenzy and more.

NCBA responded with enthusiasm to my challenge that NCBA should focus on three things to help improve the public’s perception of lawyers — education, service and professionalism. I am most proud of how each section, division and committee responded to my challenge that they identify an injustice issue within their sphere or specialty and implement an image-improving course of action.

Becton’s “Year in Review” recaps the many accomplishments of 16 NCBA sections and six NCBA committees, including the formation of several Injustice Initiative subcommittees. His “State of the Bar Association” remarks from June 20, 2009, outline 10 of these standout achievements, including 33 Bankruptcy Section volunteers fielding 623 legal calls at WRAL, the Real Property Section’s Home Foreclosure Prevention Project helping more than 1,000 North Carolina homeowners avoid foreclosure and the Tax Law Section assisting Legal Aid of North Carolina with at least 10 pro bono tax cases.

The work of Becton and NCBA divisions, sections, task forces and committees set the stage for a future filled with energy to address the legal needs of the poor, a lasting culture of pro bono participation, a brighter future for children and one that affirmatively addresses the legal profession’s and judicial system’s diversity shortcomings.

Charles Becton is a Black man with white hair wearing a white shirt, black tie, and black suit, and he stands with his hand on his wife's shoulder. Brenda Becton is a Black woman with white hair wearing a white shirt and black suit. Mark Holt stands near his wife, Joanna. Mark is a white man with brown hair wearing a white shirt, blue tie and black suit, and Joanna is a white woman with brown glasses wearing a white dress with blue flowers.

Commemorating the Charles L. Becton Justice Fund dedication, from left, are Charles and Brenda Becton and Joanna and Mark Holt.

The 2024 Legal Legends of Color and their representatives are pictured holding their awards. Judge Hinnant is a black woman with black hair and is wearing a peach dress and blazer, Cindy Patton is a Black woman with black hair wearing a black dress, Judge Karlene Turrentine is a Black woman with brown hair wearing a green and blue dress, Carriette Adkins is a Black woman with brown hair wearing a black dress with pink flowers, and Charles L. Becton is a Black man wearing a grey shirt, grey and brown striped tie, and grey pinstripe suit.

The 2024 Legal Legends of Color and their representatives, from left: Judge Patrice A. Hinnant, Cindy Marie Patton, Judge Karlene Turrentine accepting on behalf of Judge James Andrew Wynn, Carriette Adkins accepting on behalf of her late husband Karl Adkins and Charles L. Becton.

The five panelists are pictured seated, and each is wearing formal attire and smiling. Michaux is a Black man with white hair and is wearing a white shirt and grey suit. Butterfield is a Black man with grey hair and is wearing a white shirt, tie, and grey suit. Becton is a Black man with white hair and a white beard who is wearing a white shirt and black suit.

2023 Annual Meeting Panel: Ted Edwards (back left) introduced the second panel moderated by Ken Lewis (back right) that included, seated from left, Eric Michaux, G.K. Butterfield and Charles Becton.

Jacqueline Grant, 2018-9 NCBA/F President

“My election as president-elect of the North Carolina Bar Association and North Carolina Bar Foundation in 2017 coincided with the 50th anniversary of the integration of NCBA. It was 1967 when the NCBA Board of Governors admitted Julius Chambers and Henry Frye as the first African American members of NCBA. Their admission followed a lengthy struggle by other Black lawyers who applied but were denied membership in the association.

My leadership in NCBA would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of those who came before me who fought for equality and admission to NCBA.

During my presidency there were several defining moments that would not have been possible without the hard work of the board and staff of NCBA and NCBF. One of the highlights of my presidency that I am especially proud of was the unprecedented collaboration with UNC-TV to provide special programming educating the citizens of North Carolina about the six constitutional amendments that were on the ballot in 2018. The proposed constitutional amendments included an amendment seeking to allow for legislative appointments to the State Board of Elections and an amendment seeking to change the process for filling judicial vacancies.

I was able to get two former governors of different political parties to sit down for an hour-long interview to discuss their opposition to these two amendments. We were also able to get two high-ranking members in the state legislature to sit down and discuss their support for these two proposed amendments. The special programming also included members of NCBA doing commercial spots explaining the other proposed constitutional amendments. At the time, it was one of the highest-rated special programs in UNC-TV’s history. I’m proud that NCBA was at the forefront of providing information and education to North Carolinians about the constitutional amendments prior to the 2018 election.”

Jackie is pictured wearing a blue dress and silver necklace and is smiling as she shakes Mark's hand.

Jacqueline Grant is sworn in as president of NCBA by Chief Justice Mark Martin while her mother, Cathey Grant, holds the Bible.

Jackie, a Black woman with black hair, is pictured wearing an ivory suit and is raising her right hand while being sworn in.

Judge Jacqueline Grant is sworn in as a Superior Court judge in 2021. (WLOS Staff)

Clayton Morgan, 2022-23 NCBA/F President

“As a child, I watched the CBS Evening News every night, read everything I could and often paid very close attention to the ‘firsts’ in my race. Since I had always wanted to be an attorney, I greatly admired Chief Justice Thurgood Marshall when I was very young. Decades later, visiting the U.S. Supreme Court with members of my law school class and seeing him as a sitting justice was the absolute high point of my law school years.

Being a Black president of NCBA means that people like Justice Marshall did not labor in vain. They sacrificed greatly so my generation had a chance to achieve without having to navigate all of the barriers that prior generations had to overcome.

There were three defining moments from my presidency. The first was being president while the Open Door Fellowship Program was further solidified and we began having fellows. Much gratitude goes out to everyone who made that happen and especially to Past Presidents Caryn McNeil and Mark Holt, who are fundraising giants. The second defining moment was being president when the Judicial Learning Center Task Force was formally convened under the chairmanship of Past President Gray Wilson. To me, being a part of laying the foundation for an online learning environment for school-aged children everywhere was so important, as such a future platform will give them an interactive and exciting way to learn about the role and function of the judiciary and pay huge dividends by possibly helping to inspire or develop future attorneys or citizens, all equipped with a sound civics background. I absolutely love to see our young children and young adults have opportunities to learn and expand their academic worldview. The third defining moment occurred at the end of my term. I was fortunate to be president during the 125th anniversary of NCBA when the NCBA 2023 Annual Meeting, held in Wilmington, North Carolina, focused on educating the bar about the 1898 Wilmington Coup d’état, which had itself occurred 125 years ago. NCBA’s program, among other things, explored the ties between the founding of NCBA and the 1898 massacre in Wilmington. It was a powerful annual meeting for the entire NCBA and community.”

Zi, an Asian American woman with blond hair, wears a black blouse and navy jacket, Clayton, a Black man with a shaved head, wears a grey suit, and Tavaria, a Black woman with black hair, wears a white blouse and dark grey pantsuit.

President Clayton Morgan joins Open Door Fellows Zi Zhou, left, and Tavaria Smith on the stage at an NCBA Annual Meeting.

Jon Heyl and Clayton Morgan stand holding the gavel between them. Jon Heyl, a white man with brown hair who is wearing a navy blue and grey striped tie and black suit. Clayton Morgan is a Black man with brown hair, and he is wearing glasses, a dark blue suit, a white shirt, and a grey and white plaid tie. Jon and Clayton stand in front of a background with gold and silver streamers.

Outgoing President Jon Heyl, left, passes the presidential gavel to newly installed President Clayton Morgan.