Chapel Hill recently voted to name a future park on Legion Road in honor of former Mayor Howard Lee and his wife, educator Lillian Lee.
Elected in 1969, Howard Lee served as Chapel Hill’s first Black mayor of a predominantly white southern town. He notably helped initiate the Chapel Hill Transit System that same year, later went serving as North Carolina as Secretary of the Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources and was elected to two terms in the NC Senate.
The Chapel Hill Town Council also unanimously voted to name the road leading into the park Howard N. Lee Street. The elected officials surprised Howard and Lillian Lee with the recognition at a meeting on October 21.
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“We have been here for over 60 years now, and I’ve certainly had a full life,” Howard Lee said. “The greatest and most highest honor that I can think of having been restored upon us is the fact that I got elected mayor and Lillian as first lady. We served as a team to provide leadership to Chapel Hill. We both would take on challenges to do things that had not been done.”
As a local educator and community advocate, Lillian Lee dedicated herself to improving the lives of children. She established the UNC Hospital School, served as a teacher and administrator in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system, and was the first person of color to serve on the Orange County Board of Election in 1977.
“I want to thank the mayor of the council and all of the people who had something to do with making this happen,” Lillian Lee said. “I was truly surprised. I am truly honored, and all I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you.”
In an interview with 97.9 The Hill, Mayor Jess Anderson said Howard and Lillian Lee have shaped Chapel Hill for decades, both through their public roles and also their courage.
“It’s especially meaningful to honor Howard and Lillian Lee in this way, recognizing their extraordinary contributions to community building, affordable housing, and the values that make Chapel Hill such a special place,” Anderson said in a town release. “They exemplify the very best of our community, and naming this park for them is a fitting way to celebrate their legacy as we begin an exciting new chapter for this property.”
A larger community celebration will be held on the site on a future date, and a street sign and park sign is set to be installed on the property this winter. The site will also be home to a future affordable housing community, which could begin construction as early as 2028, according to the town.
“We feel like we’re the luckiest people in the world to have had the experience we’ve had and to be able to come and be a part of this community and to grow with Chapel Hill,” Howard Lee said. “Thank you so much for everything that you all have done to support us and to make this possible.”
To view the full meeting, click here.
Featured image via the Town of Chapel Hill
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