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Howard Nathaniel Lee (born July 28 , 1934 ) is an American politician. On May 6 , 1969 , Lee was elected mayor of Chapel Hill, North Carolina . He was first African American to hold the position in a predominantly white city. Lee was mayor of Chapel Hill from 1969 to 1975, during which, among other things, he helped to create a useful city busing system. His election was considered a step forward for the ongoing American civil rights movement, as it helped to set the stage for higher African American positions in government. In 1976 , Lee sought the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina , but was defeated in the Primary by Jimmy Green. In 1977 , Governor Jim Hunt appointed Lee as the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development, a post he held until 1981 . Lee returned to electoral politics in 1990 when he was elected to the North Carolina Senate . He served from 1990 to 1994 and 1996 to 2002 . While in the Senate, he concentrated particularly on issues affecting public education. On May 1 , 2003 the North Carolina State Board Of Education elected him as its chairman. He is also a member of the North Carolina Utilities Commission, having been appointed by Governor Mike Easley on April 1 , 2005 . EXTERNAL LINKS
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