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Prior Honorees – 2019

Prior Legal Legends of Color Award Honorees – 2019

To pin down one reason for their impact on the profession is a challenge. Many of the honorees were firsts in the paths they chartered. They impacted the judiciary, the advancement of the civil rights movement, the legal academy, increased access to justice for North Carolinians, and served in local, state and federal government. Many have benefited from their efforts, legal acumen and lifelong contributions to the profession and its members.

Professor Charles Daye

The first African-American to hold a tenure-track position on the law faculty at UNC-Chapel Hill, Professor Daye has dedicated his life to the education of future attorneys. As a renowned author of a number of textbooks and various scholarly articles,  he taught torts, housing & community development, and administrative advocacy seminars. An active member in the North Carolina legal community, Professor Daye upholds a strong legacy of giving back to the community.

Former U.S. Attorney Janice McKenzie Cole

Became the first woman and first African-American person to be elected as a District Court Judge in the first judicial district in 1990. Former U.S. Attorney Cole was the first African-American woman to serve as a U.S. Attorney in North Carolina and in turn was the highest-ranking federal law enforcement official over 44 of 100 counties. As the founder and owner of Cole Immigration Law Center, Cole’s list of accolades and awards runs deep, proving her lasting impact on her community and across the state.

Former Legislator H. M. “Mickey” Michaux Jr.

As the longest serving member of the N.C. House of Representatives upon his retirement, Former Legislator Michaux, Jr. had an unmatched political legacy. Serving as a representative for North Carolina from 1972-197 and again from 1984-2018, he was on a number of committees working to include the support and election of African American judges, enhancement of voting rights, and support of Minority Economic Development programs. The renowned Civil Rights Activist, has been licensed and practicing as a Real Estate Broker and Property Casualty Agent and Broker in North Carolina for over 50 years.

Judge Sammie Chess, Jr.

With humble beginnings in South Carolina, Judge Chess became North Carolina’s first African-American Superior Court Judge to be appointed to the bench in 1971-1975. Practicing law for 47 years, this notable Civil Rights Attorney helped integrate schools, hospitals, theaters and other businesses in central North Carolina. As a general practitioner, he was known as a zealous trial attorney for his clients with both criminal and civil matters.

Attorney Julius Chambers (posthumously) 

Opened the first integrated law firm in North Carolina in 1964, only a year after serving as an intern for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, headed by Thurgood Marshall. He used his education from North Carolina Central University (1958), to further his studies across the Northeast and achieve his M.A., from University of Michigan, his J.D., from UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law (1962) and his LL.M., from Columbia University Law School, to further dismantle discrimination within education, employment, housing, business, voting rights and criminal justice in modern society. With his plethora of awards and his dedication to improving the community through thoughtful and educated leadership, Chambers championed a legacy rooted in Civil Rights.

 

Legal Legends of Color Honorees

  • 2022 Honorees – Judge Ola M. Lewis (posthumously), Attorney Arlinda F. Locklear, Attorney Margaret Dudley, Attorney Georgia Jacquez Lewis
  • 2021 Honorees – Judge Elreta Melton Alexander (posthumously), Attorney Karen Bethea-Shields, Judge Wanda G. Bryant, Professor James E. Coleman, Jr., Attorney Julian Pierce (posthumously)
  • 2020 Honorees – Judge Yvonne Mims Evans, Attorney Anthony Fox, Attorney J. Kenneth Lee* (posthumously), Senator Dan T. Blue, Jr., Professor George R. Johnson, Jr.
  • 2019 Honorees – Professor Charles Daye, Former U.S. Attorney Janice McKenzie Cole, Former Legislator H. M. “Mickey” Michaux Jr., Judge Sammie Chess, Attorney Julius Chambers (posthumously)
  • 2018 Honorees – Judge Shirley Fulton, Judge Paul Jones, Attorney Glenn Adams, Attorney Victor Boone
  • 2017 Honorees – Judge Albert Diaz, Former Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson, Professor Irving Joyner
  • 2016 Honorees – Chief Justice Cheri Lynn Beasley, Former Chief Justice Henry E. Frye, Attorney James E. “Fergie” Ferguson II