The UNC School of Law held a special ceremony in its library Friday afternoon: the reveal of a portrait honoring its first Black female graduate.

Family of Sylvia X. Allen gathered with alumni, faculty and current UNC law students to unveil the painting and celebrate the legacy of Allen, who graduated from the school in 1962.

Allen’s efforts to earn her degree from the Carolina Law School sound almost like a movie script. She enrolled in 1958 after giving birth to her sixth child, and commuted to Chapel Hill every day from Fayetteville, N.C. At one point, Allen was in a near-fatal car crash along that commute and was told she may never be able to walk again. During her hospitalization and rehabilitation, her family read law books and case studies to her, with Allen graduating with just a one-year delay from the crash and her injuries.

In addition to being a pioneer at UNC, Allen was a trailblazer in the state. She became one of the first Black female lawyers admitted to the Cumberland County bar, the state’s first Black female assistant district attorney, and eventually went on to serve as Assistant Attorney General for the North Carolina Department of Justice.

To Elizabeth and Kathryn Allen, two of her younger daughters, she was primarily their mother — but Elizabeth said on Friday that she has recollections from early in her life that she understood Allen was “something other than just my mom.” She described it as leaving a distinct impression on her own aspirations and confidence.

“I remember lining up my dolls on my bed, having a little table and walking each into my office so I could help them with their hardest problems,” Elizabeth Allen said. “It was clear to me that my mother was doing something out in the world and it was valuable.”

Today, there are three generations of Black attorneys in the Allen family, several of whom were in attendance for the ceremony. The school’s broader effort to honor the matriarch Sylvia began with a UNC student: Destiny Planter, who graduated in 2021, approached alumni Scott Peeler and Diana Florence after learning about Allen’s story. After doing their own research, Peeler and Florence were so moved by her efforts and legacy, they established a scholarship endowment fund in Sylvia Allen’s honor. The UNC School of Law says the scholarship will be awarded annually to one of its students who enhances “the social, economic, and cultural diversity of the school’s student body.”

Peeler said during the ceremony the group believes such a scholarship reflects the legacy, drive and values of Allen.

“Most of us weren’t lucky enough to know her in person,” he said. “But who she was, what she did, what she overcame and what she stood for, well, that’s [stood] the test of time, hasn’t it? She’s touching the lives of everybody here, she made this great institution our profession, and this great state a better and more powerful place. And what better lasting tribute to Sylvia Allen can there be than that?”

The portrait of Sylvia Allen is unveiled in the UNC School of Law library. (Photo via Dillon Davis/UNC School of Law.)

From right to left: Elizabeth Allen, S. Kathryn Allen, M. Scott Peeler and Diana Florence react to seeing the portrait of Sylvia Allen for the first time. (Photo via Dillon Davis/UNC School of Law.)

Chair of the UNC Board of Trustees Dave Boliek thanked Peeler and Florence for their efforts to begin the scholarship, but largely praised Sylvia Allen’s ability to create comradeship and a culture of hard work in every progression of her life. He challenged the UNC law students in attendance to reflect on Allen’s legacy when they enter the school and prepare for life beyond the university.

“So, every time you walk past this portrait,” said Boliek, “think about the fact that regardless of where you come from, what you look like, you belong here. Remember that you will affect this nation, this state, this university — you will affect everyday people in your work. And hopefully, you will follow in Mrs. Allen’s footsteps and grab the opportunity to lay a ground work for someone else to succeed.”

Kathryn Allen encouraged students to do the same thing, and to lean on her mother for strength.

“If you don’t have a Sylvia Allen as your mother, or someone in your life who’s going to demand that you always strive for excellence, we invite you to channel our mom,” she said.

A full video from the UNC School of Law detailing Allen’s efforts and legacy can be watched below or on YouTube.

Photo via Dillon Davis/UNC School of Law.


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