Carol Wilson Caldwell was born February 26, 1946, in New York City, to Anice Chance Wilson( from Parmele, NC) and Leonard Wilson( from Lancaster, PA). She was the granddaughter of the late Professor and Mrs. William C. Chance, Sr. of Parmele, North Carolina. After the divorce of her parents before she was 6 years old, and after moving from New York to North Carolina, Carol became a native of Parmele, NC, where she moved in with her grandparents, William C. Chance and Julia Chance. She completed her elementary school education at Parmele Elementary School, where her grandmother was the principal. During this period, her mother was working as an instructor at Knoxville College, in Tennessee, and as the Dean of Women at Dillard College in New Orleans, LA. After graduating from Parmele Elementary, Carol moved to New Orleans to join her mother, after which they moved to Lynchburg, VA, where her mother, Mrs. Wilson, had accepted a position as Executive Director of Phyllis Wheatley YWCA. In 1964, Carol graduated from Dunbar High School in Lynchburg, Virginia, where she had served as President of the Student Council and the Debating Team. During this same period, Carol had been a permanent panelist on "Youth Speaks," a public affairs television program sponsored by the National Council of Christians and Jews. She was also a member of track and field team while at Dunbar. Mrs. Caldwell received her B.A. degree with a double major in government and philosophy in 1968 from Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana. As 'an undergraduate, Mrs. Caldwell was elected President of her freshman class in 1964-65, the first Black to have accomplished this distinction. She served as a student counselor and was a founding member of "Highlights," a Black women's organization dedicated to social services among Black women.
As a graduate student she served as the Choreographer for the Valparaiso University Repertory Theater. Continuing her education at the Valparaiso University School of Law, Mrs. Caldwell received the degree of Juris Doctor in 1973, having received her J.D., the degree which she began to pursue in earnest so very early in life, Attorney Caldwell returned to Parmele (her roots) in the fall of 1973. She had always retained close ties with her hometown community and af ter the traditional period as Law Clerk with the office of Moore and Moore, Attorneys-at-Law, Williamston, North Carolina, Attorney Caldwell opened her office for the practice of law in the Bridgers Building, 431Main Street, Tarboro, North Carolina, and practiced until shortly before her death.
Attorney Caldwell was a noted lecturer and addressed many outstanding organizations and functions in the North Carolina-Virginia area. She was a member of the American Bar Association, the North Carolina State Bar, and the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers. She exemplified her religious life through her love for the Church and her concern for human rights. These were manifested throughout her life by the many civil rights activities in which she was involved. She died on April 16, 1976, at the age of 30. Attorney Caldwell was married to John T. Caldwell on June 15, 1968. They had one daughter, Gabriella, born on June 30, 1972. Because Attorney Caldwell was extremely interested in the educational growth and development of young people and devoted her life to serving mankind, the Carol Wilson Caldwell Memorial Legal Scholarship Fund, Inc., has been established.by her family and friends in an eff ort to continue in her honor the ideals to which she dedicated her life. The First, Second and Third Annual Memorial Legal Scholarships of $500.00 each, were awarded to James Finch, who was a Law Student at North Carolina Central University School of Law, Durham, North Carolina. This scholarship, along with other resources made it possible for him to enroll at the University. The Fourth Annual Memorial Legal Scholarship was awarded to Michael C. Wallace, a student at North Carolina Central University School of Law.
As of August, 2016, the Scholarship Fund will be moving into a phase. After over three years of inactivity, a re-vitalized fund is being established directly with the North Carolina Central Law School Foundation, with the new name of “Carol Wilson Caldwell Legal Scholarship Fund”. In partnership with the Law School, the Caldwell Wilson Caldwell Legal Scholarship Fund is being planned as a perpetual fund for promising law school applicants who meet the qualifications of the Funds criteria. All applicants requesting scholarships will be subject to approval by the Scholarship’s Board of Directors as well as recommendations from the law school.
It is our goal that this perpetual legal fund will continue to grow, so that additional scholarships may be provided annually. The demands for this kind of support are tremendous. The Board of Directors of the new Carol Wilson Caldwell Legal Scholarship Fund is grateful to each of you for your support, so that Carol’s dream to carry out her grandfather’s (William Claudius Chance, Sr.) wishes to create more minority lawyers for the poor and disenfranchised in Eastern North Carolina.