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Public invited to Bill Friday’s birthday party

Posted on July 1, 2010 by Staff

William C. Friday, the man whose name is synonymous with North Carolina higher education during much of the 20th century, marks his 90th birthday next month and the university and the UNC General Alumni Association are hosting an open house in Friday’s honor on July 13 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Hill Alumni Center’s Alumni Hall.

During his tenure as UNC system president, Friday was a supporter of academic freedom, fairness and integrity. He often served as mediator between student activists and a conservative legislature during the civil rights movement and he worked for five years to repeal the 1963 Speaker Ban Law, which made it illegal for critics of the government to appear on campus.

Friday’s sphere of influence also led to the development of Research Triangle Park, the sponsorship of North Carolina public television and the formation of the expanded UNC system, which now includes 17 campuses.

Throughout his career, Friday received numerous awards, including the American Council on Education’s National Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement, the National Humanities Medal, the American Academy for Liberal Education’s Jacques Barzun Award and the John Hope Franklin Award.
Friday and his wife, Ida, have lived in Chapel Hill since 1946.

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