Community News · Chapel Hill, NC
Chapel Hill Names Future Legion Road Park, Street for Howard and Lillian Lee
The Chapel Hill Town Council voted unanimously at its October 21 meeting to name a future park on Legion Road in honor of former Mayor Howard Lee and his wife, educator Lillian Lee. Howard Lee was elected Chapel Hill's first Black mayor in 1969, helped initiate the Chapel Hill Transit System that year, later served as NC Secretary of Environment, Health and Natural Resources, and won two terms in the NC Senate. Lillian Lee established the UNC Hospital School, worked 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. Street and park signs are set for installation this winter, with a larger community celebration planned for a future date. The site is also slated for a future affordable housing community that could begin construction as early as 2028.