N.C. A&T Alumni Times

N.C. A&T Alumnus, Merl F. Code Contributes $500,000 to the National Alumni Scholarship Program

Merl F. Code ’70 is a man who is known for many firsts in his life. In 1983, he was the first African American to become a municipal court judge in Greenville, South Carolina. He was also the first African American to become chairman of the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce, to serve as chairman of the Board of Governors for the University Center of Greenville, and to chair the Greenville County United Way Board of Directors. His extensive resume covers 40 years as a prominent lawyer, community leader, and business owner.

In April 2020, Code met with the president of Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, a board he has served on for more than 20 years, about giving back to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. The foundation decided to donate $500,000 on Code’s behalf to North Carolina A&T with a designation to the National Alumni Scholarship Program.

The National Alumni Scholarship Program provides the opportunity annually for incoming freshmen to receive full financial assistance that includes tuition, room and board, and books.

“With my 50th class reunion coming up, I wanted to make a greater impact at my Alma Mater. I did my research on alumni giving at the university and it was important for me to give back to the foundation of where it all began for me as a professional,” said Code.

When Code attended A&T in 1966, he was recruited to play football by legendary coach, Hornsby Howell Sr. He was an All-State quarterback in his hometown of Seneca, South Carolina, where he grew up in a household where both of his parents who were former collegiate athletes and educational professionals.

“Being a student at A&T was the best time of my life, I was challenged in my intellect, nurtured by the environment and I was taught how to compete on every level,” said Code. “I chose the right institution for my education and I was blessed to meet my wife, Denise Galloway Code ‘73 at A&T, during my senior year and her freshman year.”

In 1970, Code graduated with honors with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and was drafted to play professional football in the Canadian Football League and later played in the World Football League. For four years, he played with the Montreal Alouettes (CFL), then two years with the Memphis Southmen (WFL) in Memphis, Tenn., and spent a year with the Ottawa Rough Riders (CFL).

“When I played professional football, I knew I wanted to pursue the opportunity to go to law school and that I wanted to plant myself in South Carolina,” he said. “When I applied to school, other colleges offered me scholarships but I chose to attend the University of South Carolina. It was the only school that didn’t offer me any financial assistance. However, I decided to pay my way through law school and continue playing professional football."

In 1977, Code enrolled in the University of South Carolina Law School program and was the first African American to be elected the president of the South Carolina Law School Student Body.

“As president of the law school, this opportunity put me in contact with the movers and shakers of South Carolina. I was surrounded by senators, house representatives, bankers, and businessmen that laid the foundation for the many firsts in my life,” said Code.

Code graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1979 and opened two law offices in Seneca and Greenville, SC after he passed the bar exam. In 1983, he was appointed as an associate municipal court judge, making him the first African American to serve in this role. He retired from judgeship in 2019.

“For 36 years, I served as a judge and with that position I was still able to practice law and own businesses,” he said. “It was the best of both worlds.”

More importantly, Code’s strong legacy to the state of South Carolina has been grounded in the foundation his parents set for him as a child.

“My father, Allen L. Code, Sr., was small in stature but was a giant of a man. He exuded everything I wish I could be and still obtain,” said Code.

“My father was a true leader and contributor to the community during segregation time. He was the principal at the only black high school in Oconee County and he was a master negotiator that secured the same resources that other white schools were given. He knew how to value and treat people, and he was a man of extraordinary character and principles. I’ve watched governors, other politicians and businessmen come to my house to sit down with my dad for advice and guidance.”

Due to Allen L. Code, Sr. legacy of leadership in South Carolina, the former Blue Ridge High School, where he taught was renamed after him as Code Elementary School.

“My mother instilled confidence in me and she taught me how to be a public speaker. Every Sunday, she would ask me how did I enjoy the sermon and when I would say it was boring, she would make me rewrite it and perform it for her,” said Code.

“She also ran the declamation speaking competition, and for six years I was the champion. One year, I decided not to enter and my mother was livid with me. When I explained why I didn’t want to compete, she said something profound to me that I will never forget. ‘You are not competing against others; you compete to be better because you are challenging the greatness that lies within you.’ My mother taught me how to never complain and to never waste my days, positions and opportunities,” he said.

For more than 30 years, Code has served on more than 30 boards and has been instrumental in advocating for other organizations to receive philanthropic support.

“Over 30 years ago, I wrote on a piece of paper that is still on my desk, ‘Economic Security and Philanthropic Capacity.’ Initially I thought this meant, I had to make a lot of money to sustain myself and family, and give it away to charity. However, the reality with that statement did come true but in a different way; God has positioned me through my career and service opportunities to direct funds to help other organizations in need. With this mindset, I have built relationships with community leaders and I have been put on boards that have funded several initiatives that I care about,” he said.

“One of my favorite quote comes from the poem, Invictus by William Ernest Henley, but with a small change: ‘God is the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.’ As for me, it is truly evident that God has been directing my steps, opening new doors for me and using me to be a change agent in my community.”

In 1996, Code received the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian award from former Governor David Beasley. In 1981, he was inducted into the North Carolina A&T Sports Hall of Fame and in 1999 the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame. In 2018, he received the Visionary Leadership Award by the Community Foundation of Greenville, the Chairman Award from the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, and was named among the “50 Most Influential People of 2018” by the Greenville Business Magazine. Also, he has received several Omega Man of the Year and Citizen of the Year awards from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Code is now retired from practicing law, residing in Greenville with his wife, but remains very active on several boards and memberships. He has two children, Merl S.M. Code and Whitney Code ’08.