Dr. E. Lavonia Allison
Former NCCU Professor and Democratic activist passes at age 94.

By Cash Michaels –
Anyone knowledgeable about Democratic politics in North Carolina for the past fifty years will agree that Dr. E. Lavonia Allison was a political force whom Democratic politicians ignored at their own risk.
“She was a close friend of my father’s,” says former state Senator Floyd McKissick Jr. “They worked together in the civil rights movement.”
From that perch, Dr. Allison got involved in Democratic politics, chairing the influential Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People for fourteen years. During her tenure, powerful Democratic politicians from Jim Hunt to Roy Cooper knew that if they wanted Durham’s important Black vote, they had to vie for the endorsement of Dr. Allison and the Durham Committee in order to earn it.
On January 7, her son Vincent posted on Facebook that at age 94, his mother had passed on peacefully, surrounded by her family.
“Dr. Allison was an incredibly strong woman who dedicated the majority of her life to the fight for social justice for her people. Her resilience, wisdom, and boundless love were the cornerstone of our family, and she will be profoundly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her,” he wrote.
The tributes immediately started flowing in, beginning with former Gov. Roy Cooper on X (formerly Twitter). “North Carolina and Durham lost a trailblazer. Dr. Lavonia Allison was a steadfast advocate for her community, for education, civil rights, and so much more. Her family, friends, and everyone touched by her work are in my thoughts.”
His successor, newly elected Gov. Josh Stein, wrote in a statement the next day, “With the passing of Dr. E. Lavonia Allison, we lost an icon. She was a fierce and strong leader—a powerful and inspiring advocate for the people of Durham. I feel privileged to have known her for the past 25 years. I offer my condolences to her family and friends. May her memory be a blessing.”
Fourth District Congresswoman Valerie Foushee joined in the tributes, writing, “From her time serving as First Vice Chair of the Durham County Democratic Party to her leadership as Chair of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, she worked tirelessly to uplift the African American community and ensure that all Black voices were heard and represented in local politics.”
Retired state Supreme Court Justice Mike Morgan called Dr. Allison “a relentless force in community and political activism whose fierce dedication to civil rights, fairness and uplift for all remains unparalleled.”
Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams agreed. “Dr. E. Lavonia Allison, a Durham icon, NC legend, a United States haymaker, helped carve the way Black women in office created access to voting rights, and was a warrior for civil and social rights. She will truly be missed, but always felt. May her soul forever live in our hearts, drive our purpose, and create change needed for the people of Durham.”
Dr. Allison was a native Durhamite who attended segregated Hillside High School during the 1940s, then went on to Hampton Institute, where she joined Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Dr. Allison later taught at North Carolina Central University and was active in the civil rights movement.
It was 1968 when her husband, the late F.V. “Pete” Allison, encouraged her to become the first female First Vice Chair of the Durham County Democratic Party. That post later led to her becoming the chair of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, retiring from that position in 2011. She had remained active in Durham local politics ever since.
Dr. Allison’s legacy has also been heralded by the North Carolina Black Alliance; former NC Democratic Party Chair Bobbie J. Richardson, who met Dr. Allison during her freshman year at NCCU when she taught Physical Education; and Durham State senator Natalie Murdock, who recalled Dr. Allison working on the “legendary Shirley Chisholm for President” campaign during the 1970s.
Funeral arrangements for Dr. Allison had not been announced at press time.