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Morning, gang.
Last week, former mayor Robbie Perkins scored a major endorsement in his effort to return to the city government’s most prominent position.
Former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Henry Frye and his wife, Shirley, are lending their names to Perkins’ bid for mayor, calling his vision for the city’s future “exactly what’s needed at this time.” Both civil rights icons and Greensboro legends, they’re the biggest names yet to throw their support behind Perkins.
While campaign filing doesn’t officially begin until July, Perkins announced his candidacy last summer and has been running hard since. To date, he’s still the only one in the race–though we expect some familiar names will join him before long. We caught up with Perkins this week to talk about the Fryes’ endorsement and what it means to his candidacy; see our piece down below.
This week we’re also bringing you a story from The Assembly’s higher education team about High Point University’s “overzealous” attempt to join a federal push against diversity, equity, and inclusion language from courses and materials. The university’s reaction went well beyond what was necessary, according to HPU’s lawyers. After backlash from students, faculty, and alumni—including a swiftly organized petition with more than 500 signatures—the university walked the move back.
Lastly, this month we’re excited to welcome two new reporters to our Greensboro bureau: Sayaka Matsuoka and Gale Melcher. You’ve read their work for years in Triad City Beat, the weekly paper which ended its 11-year run last month. They’re already reporting stories for us you’ll begin seeing soon.
Let’s get into it.
— Joe Killian
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Perkins Scores Endorsement of Civil Rights Icons in Mayoral Bid
Since announcing his bid for mayor last summer, Robbie Perkins has racked up a number of high-profile endorsements. But the names—from former Greensboro Mayor Jim Melvin to a roll call of local CEOs, business leaders, and real estate moguls—are mostly who you’d expect to back Perkins, a moderate Republican who spent 16 years on council, two of them as mayor.
Last week, Perkins added two game-changing names to that list: Henry and Shirley Frye. The couple, who met while students at N.C. A&T University, are civil rights icons who have for decades embodied Black excellence and progressive politics in the Triad and beyond.
“It’s humbling, given what they mean to Greensboro and the state and their history of public service,” Perkins said in an interview.
Henry Frye is best known as North Carolina’s first Black state Supreme Court justice, the capstone of a groundbreaking career from becoming the first Black student to graduate from the UNC School of Law to serving as the first Black legislator in the North Carolina General Assembly in the 20th century. There he spearheaded equality efforts and fought for civil rights before being appointed chief justice of the state’s highest court.
Shirley Frye devoted much of her career to education, from teaching at Washington Elementary School to administrative positions at A&T and Bennett College. She went on to work for the state Department of Public Instruction and won an Emmy while working as director of community relations for WFMY News 2. She was also instrumental in integrating Greensboro’s two segregated YWMA organizations, serving as president of the new entity. In 2016, the newly renovated YWCA on E. Wendover Ave was named in her honor.
“In our many years of public service, we have been guided by our belief that if we ‘do what you think is right,’ the rest will take care of itself,” the Fryes said in their endorsement of Perkins. “And it’s never failed us. That’s why we are supporting Robbie Perkins to be the next Mayor of Greensboro. We have seen Robbie follow the same rule in his years of public service and are confident that his vision for Greensboro’s future is exactly what’s needed at this time.”
Though Greensboro City Council races are technically non-partisan, they are in reality rarely free of partisanship. The Fryes’ endorsement lets Perkins argue his appeal crosses both racial and political lines.
“I think in my career I’ve shown I can and do work with everyone in the city,” Perkins said. “I think that Henry and Shirley Frye recognize that. They know we all have to work together for the city.”
—Joe Killian
Read this newsletter online or contact The Thread team with tips and feedback at greensboro@theassemblync.com.
‘Perhaps a Bit Overzealous’
In late February, High Point University issued a list of terms that faculty were instructed to eliminate from all university materials, including course descriptions, titles, and syllabi. Last week, the private university walked the guidance back.
The broad list included identity-specific terms such as “ethnicity,” “black,” “latinx,” “white,” “heterosexual,” “transgender,” and “LGBTQ.” The list also banned generic words and concepts such as “racism,” “hate speech,” “advocacy,” “biased,” and “excluded.” (HPU’s list, first reported by the News & Observer, was a more expansive version of one used by the National Science Foundation to flag grants that may violate Trump’s executive orders.)
As The Assembly previously reported, HPU has leaned into patriotic branding in recent years. That’s part of why the list upset HPU graduate Dalton Lucas, who heard about the banned terms from former professors and teamed up with another alum to start a petition against it.
“The vision of a university where students freely express their love of country is what draws many students, and is certainly what drew many of the under-signed to attend,” the petition read. “But this new policy undercuts those values. The First Amendment was made in pursuit of protecting against tyranny; we expect our university to reflect and uphold these American values.”
The petition received more than 500 signatures in 48 hours. [Shortly thereafter] Daniel Erb, HPU’s provost, sent a message telling faculty to disregard the list and apologized for “confusion or inconvenience our efforts to comply with federal mandates have caused.”
The Assembly obtained a message from HPU President Nido Qubein stating that while HPU’s approach was “perhaps a bit overzealous,” the “anticipatory measures” were taken to ensure the institution didn’t lose federal funding that faculty and students rely on. “My heart is with you as we manage the challenges of recent government funding and executive orders,” he wrote.
In a statement to The Assembly, HPU said the institution created the list after learning its school of education lost $17.8 million from three federal grants [due to the executive order?]. The school also felt the need to respond to a letter from the U.S. Department of Education that gave colleges 14 days to comply with a ban on all race-conscious programs.
“Clearly we overcorrected,” the university wrote, adding that HPU’s lawyers later provided more clarity on what precisely they needed to address.
Lucas said he is glad the university changed course. “All of these universities are adapting,” he said. “I just hope that they pause before overreacting to some of this stuff because students and college campuses need to be protected right now.”
– Erin Gretzinger and Joe Killian
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What We’re Reading
East Greensboro Demands Action: East Greensboro showed up for last week’s city council meeting, demanding more investment in a heavily Black part of the city that has long gone without the investments the rest of the city has seen. From infrastructure to the lack of grocery stores, speakers said they’re tired of waiting. The News & Record has the story.
DOGE Comes to Town: The Department of Government Efficiency announced the cancellation of leases for four federal offices in Greensboro last week, saying the move will save nearly $1 million. The cuts include leases for offices of the Small Business Administration , Food and Drug Administration, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Natural Resources Conservation Service. WFMY has the story.
Around the State
Can Lake Mattamuskeet Be Saved?
The largest natural lake in the state and an important national refuge for migrating birds is facing an ecological catastrophe.
North Carolina Farmers Reel From Trump Administration Payment Delays
Farmers say they’re waiting for federal payments for conservation and climate change programs, as well as emergency loans.
Thom Tillis’ Spat With Trump Advisers Raises a New Reelection Challenge
N.C. Republicans are wondering why Trump’s advisers are going after someone they see as the best chance at retaining a Senate seat.
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