Dr. E. Lavonia Ingram Allison was a proponent of equity.
“She didn’t mind speaking the truth to power,” said Andre Vann, archivist at North Carolina Central University.
An advocate of justice.
“She was a good friend to my father. “They collaborated in the civil rights movement,” said Floyd McKissick Jr., a Durham lawyer and former North Carolina senator.
And a noble-hearted leader who encourages women to run for political office.
“She was an excellent role model for us. “She is the one who inspired me,” Cora Cole-McFadden stated.
Allison, 94, a longstanding civil rights activist and political force in the Bull City, passed away in Durham. Her son, Vincent Allison, announced the announcement over Facebook.
He included the following sentence: “Dr. Allison was an incredibly strong woman who dedicated the majority of her life in the fight for social justice for her people.”
Allison stated that his mother “left the world peacefully, surrounded by love.”
Allison was Cole-McFadden’s physical education teacher when she attended Whitted Junior High School.
We’ve lost an icon. She was a forceful and powerful leader.
“I learned from my experience with her to be bold and courageous as long as you’re speaking the truth,” she told me.
They remained in touch throughout the years, with Allison encouraging Cole-McFadden to run for Durham city council and discussing some of the subjects she was passionate about.
“Equal opportunity especially as it related to black businesses and employment of black people,” declared Cole-McFadden.
Vann compared Allison to his grandma.
“You could find her at any meeting going on anywhere in Durham that was for the cause, that was for the uplift of African American community,” according to him.
Vann led ABC11 on a journey through her incredible life, showing images from Allison’s 15-year teaching tenure at the Historically Black College and University.
“I quickly just kind of pulled out just a few things out of our archives on her life,” Vann told me. “I center her here, as you see, the only woman here of all the leaders who have led the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People of all the chairpersons.”
Her unwavering commitment to standing up for what’s right will continue to inspire future generations.
Allison oversaw the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People for 14 years. She departed from the committee in 2011 but continued to be involved in local politics.
He was executive director under her, and he witnessed what he describes as an unparalleled degree of commitment to the people.
“Helping them understand that they had a place in politics. A place to labor for the downtrodden,” Vann remarked.
She graduated with honors from Hillside High School and served as the class salutatorian.
She earned her bachelor’s degree from Hampton University and her master’s and PhD from New York University.
Allison was involved in a number of community organizations, as well as the Democratic Party.
Allison, a devoted member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, was also a charter member of ABC11’s Minority Advisory Committee, which was founded in 1971 with the goal of enhancing ABC11’s relationship with ethnic-minority communities, a mission Allison ardently supported.
“I respected Dr. Allison’s perseverance as she fought for civil rights and social justice over the years,” said Rob Elmore, president and general manager of WTVD/ABC 11.
“Amazingly, she continued to attend ABC11 MAC meetings with our leadership team and me well into her 90s. We all benefited significantly from Dr. Allison’s activism and dedication. My sincere sympathies to her family and friends.”
Democratic Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04) also remembered Allison.
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. E. Lavonia Allison, a fierce civil rights activist, accomplished educator, and esteemed political leader,” Foushee stated in an email. “As a lifelong resident, Dr. Allison had a profound and diverse impact on Durham.
From her time as First Vice Chair of the Durham County Democratic Party to her tenure as Chair of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, she worked relentlessly to elevate the African-American community and guarantee that Black views were heard and represented in local politics.
“Dr. Allison’s passing leaves an irreplaceable void in the Durham community, but her spirit and impact will endure in the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing her,” Foushee said.
“Her unwavering devotion to improving her town and speaking up for what is right will inspire future generations. I shall miss her as a valued advisor, a helpful colleague, and a beloved friend, and I extend my deepest sympathies to her family, loved ones, and the entire community during this sad time.”
Gov. Josh Stein acknowledged her on social media Wednesday and expressed his sympathies to her family.
Gov. Stein wrote on X: “With the death of Dr. E. Lavonia Allison last night, we lost an icon. She was a fearless and bold leader, a powerful and inspiring advocate for the people of Durham. I am honored to have known her for the past 25 years. I extend my sympathies to her family and friends. “May her memory be a blessing.”
Durham County Sheriff Clarence Birkhead also reacted to Allison’s death.
“As Durham County Sheriff, I extend condolences to the family of local icon Dr. Lavonia Allison,” Birkhead stated in a letter. “She served as a bright example of leadership that everyone in Durham should emulate.
I respected her hard efforts to make our city a better place by representing the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People and other civic organizations. Our office joins her relatives in their time of need, and we pray for the entire family.
Allison was a Durham native who grew up in the primarily black Hayti neighborhood. She left behind two daughters, countless grandchildren, and a whole community that loved her.
“It’s tragic that she has passed, but she certainly is in a better place where she will be remembered but not forgotten,” McKissick, Jr., said.