William Friday

Few North Carolinians are as well known or as widely respected as William Friday. Although he has never run for elected office, the former president of the University of North Carolina has been prominent in public affairs for decades and ranks as one of the most important American university presidents of the post-World War II era. His service on the White House Task Force on Education and his work with the Carnegie Commission on the Future of American Education and the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics have made him an influential figure both inside and outside the Tar Heel state. In this comprehensive biography, William Link traces Friday's long and remarkable career. Based on interviews with Friday and written with complete access to his personal files, this book places the growth and development of higher education - both in the South and in the nation as a whole - within a broader social and political context.