Sylvia X. Allen ’62 (J.D.), who was the first Black woman to graduate from Carolina Law, attended law school while raising six children in Fayetteville, North Carolina. She arose early each morning to drive 90 miles to Chapel Hill and returned home each night to her family. A severe accident during one of those drives left her with life-threatening injuries, but her graduation was delayed by just one year.
Peeler and his wife, Diana Florence ’92, ’95 (J.D.) decided to make two gifts to Carolina Law honoring Allen. One gift enables the law school to commission an artist to create a portrait of Allen, who passed away in 2012, to be installed in a prominent location in Van Hecke-Wettach Hall. The other establishes an endowed scholarship in Allen’s name. Together, the gifts ensure that future generations of law school students will learn about Allen’s story of perseverance and public service. Donations can be made online or by contacting Deirdre Gordon, Associate Dean for Advancement.