Howard N. Lee

1995 Honoree

Like most of the strong men and women profiled here, State Senator Howard N. Lee acquired his strength and talent for leadership by watching his parents and grandparents respond to the challenges in their daily lives.

One of Lee's greatest challenges happened when he was 15 years old and living in Georgia. While protesting "Jim Crow laws" he defiantly entered a men's restroom reservedfor "whites only." This defiant act resulted in a confrontation with members of the local KKK, and Lee was severely beaten. The beating, while painful, did not destroy his sense of justice and fair play, It became is defining moment and served to deepen his resolve to remain in the South and work for justice.

Lee graduated from Fort Valley State College in Georgia in 1959. He spent two years in the U.S. Army before receiving a master degree in social work in 1966 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Lee was a juvenile probation officer and social worker. He has been a member of several college faculties and directed programs designed to improve the quality of life. He received the National Urban League's Equal Opportunity Award in 1970.

Senator Lee has been active in North Carolina politics for several decades. From 1969 to 1975, he was mayor of Chapel Hill. As Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Community Development, he was an effective member of the governor's cabinet managing 2,500 employees and a budget of $350 million.

His attempt to win the nomination for lieutenant governor on the Democratic Party ticket failed despite months of hard campaigning. Undaunted, he accepted an appointment to the North Carolina General Assembly in 1990, and was elected in 1991.

In spite of Senator Lee's busy schedule, he continues to write articles for scholarly publications. His most important efforts, however, involve helping young men and women to secure college degrees. These efforts inspired him to establish the John H. Wheeler Foundation, Inc., o non-profit organization created to provide scholarships for deserving students majoring in business, law and political science at historic black colleges and universities.

At the pinnacle of his career in government, Senator Lee can be proud of the fact that he has been able to harness some of government's power to meet important needs of its citizens.