The first African American mayor elected in Dillon County comes from the town of Lake View, and he is a tireless promoter of Lake View and what it has to offer.
Born and reared in Lake View, Sterling Lee has always been a man of determination.
In high school, Sterling was well-known on the football field where he earned the nickname, “The Bull,” and played in four consecutive state championships from 1989-1992 with the Lake View Wild Gators football team. He graduated Lake View High School with honors and attended Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. Bull moved back home and worked at the Billie Hardee Home for Boys, where he served for eight years. Sterling then went on to serve at Lake View High School where he stayed until November 2021 when he left to start his own Music Entertainment Company. Sterling also works for Man2Man, a fatherhood initiative, at the Dillon location. Sterling is married to Breian McKoy-Lee, and they have two children, Gabriel and Juri.
After taking office in 2023, Sterling said it was some time before he knew that he was not only the first African American mayor elected in Lake View, he was also the first African American Mayor elected in Dillon County. “It was days later before I found out that I was the first African American Mayor in Dillon County history,” Sterling said. “It felt good knowing that I could help change the mindset of young boys and young girls and let them know that whatever they believe that they can achieve.”
When asked how he would like to be remembered in history, Sterling said, “I want to be remembered as the leader who did exactly what he said he was going to do… getting down in the trenches with everyone else and working together. We need more people in leadership roles that lead by example and not just by word.”
BLACK HISTORY MONTH TRAILBLAZER: Sterling Lee–A Man Who Leads By Example
