Sanford Hunt Frye

North Carolina Democrats are adding the name of the first black chief justice of the state Supreme Court to an annual party dinner. The party said Thursday that the annual Sanford Hunt dinner set for Aug. 29 in Charlotte has been changed to the Sanford Hunt Frye dinner to venerate Henry Frye of Greensboro. The event's other namesakes are former Gov. Jim Hunt and the late former governor and U.S. Sen. Terry Sanford. Hunt appointed Frye to the Supreme Court in 1983 and elevated him to chief justice in 1999, where he served until 2001. Frye was elected to the Legislature in 1968. Party spokeswoman Kerra Bolton said Frye is a model to all North Carolina residents and not just black citizens. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 7/09/09).