The National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation (NBCAHOF) will host its annual hall of fame induction ceremony at 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 29, 2017, in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta during Hall of Fame Weekend. Among this year’s stellar class of honorees for North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is retired Chief Justice Henry E. Frye, inducted in the category of Law; and Mitchell A. Martin, inducted in the category of Business/Industry.
Additionally, Anzio Williams will be honored at the annual Legacy of Leaders Alumni Luncheon in the category of Distinguished Alumnus.
Each year graduates of Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) are inducted into the hall of fame for significant contributions they have made in their respective fields. The NBCAHOF promotes the viability of HBCUs and highlights the accomplishments of their alumni.
In 1953, after graduating, Frye served the United States Air Force in Korea and Japan, reaching the rank of Captain. Upon returning to Greensboro, he was denied the ability to register to vote because of so-called “literacy” tests. Rising above the deterrents, Frye became a U.S Attorney in 1963 and one of the first African Americans to hold the position in the South. When elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1968, he became the only African American North Carolina legislator and the first elected in the 20th Century, helping to eliminate the Jim Crow laws in the state. In 1983, he was appointed to the North Carolina Supreme Court as an Associate Justice, the first African American to hold this position. Replacing a retiree, Frye served as Chief Justice for one year (1999). In 2001, he became of Counsel with the Brooks Pierce Law Firm in Greensboro, North Carolina, retiring in 2015.
Frye has received many honors and awards during his career. He continues to give his time, talent and treasure to his alma mater. Serving as a visiting professor in the Department of Political Science at N.C. A&T, the Henry E. Frye Pre-Law Society is named in his honor.
Martin began his career as an auditor in Atlanta with Arthur Anderson & Company. After four and a half years, he became the vice president and controller with Cable Atlanta, now known as Comcast. Following his time at Cable Atlanta, he founded the accounting firm, Martin, Harps, Syphoe & Company (MHS) where he is managing partner. MHS is one of the best-known minority CPA firms in the Southeast. He is also the founder of Global Concessions, Inc., a multi-franchise company that includes franchises such as Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, Great Wraps, IHOP, and Krispy Kreme.
Martin has mentored and advised numerous students and is a strong supporter of A&T’s College of Business and Economics, providing students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become leaders in global business. He remains an active member of the North Carolina A&T State University Alumni Association, Inc.
Williams joined NBC10 in 2012. He previously spent 12 years with Hearst Television working as news director in Sacramento, California, and New Orleans, Louisiana. He also served as assistant news director at NBC stations in Orlando, Florida, and in Charlotte, North Carolina.
He started his career as a sports and news producer in Greensboro, North Carolina. Most notably, it was during his tenure at WDSU that Hurricane Katrina made landfall in New Orleans. He and the newsroom staff stayed on track and aggressively covered the storm and its aftermath.
Williams is the recipient of nine Emmy Awards for Outstanding Achievement, Best Newscast, Breaking News and Continuing Coverage. He was also a member of news teams honored with six Edward R. Murrow and two George Foster Peabody Awards. He currently serves on several boards and is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists.
Other events scheduled for Hall of Fame Weekend include, the Competition of Black College Queens, HBCU Invitational Golf Classic, Call to Womanhood and Call to Manhood Symposia, Positive Image Program and other activities and events intended to empower and equip HBCU alumni to better serve their alma maters and communities.
For more details and how to purchase tickets for the 2017 NBCA Hall of Fame Weekend, information on the programs and initiatives of the foundation, visit www.nbcahof.com. |
