Whereas Elias Blake was a national leader in the conceptualization, mobilization, and evolution of the movement to harness the power of historically black colleges and universities and generate public support for these vital institutions; and
Whereas in the 1960s Dr. Elias Blake was among the courageous black college presidents who assumed leadership roles in opposing the Vietnam War, and advocating for civil rights; and
Whereas young Howard University professor, Dr. Elias Blake, joined Dr. Samuel D. Proctor, Dr. Willa Player and others in organizing and taking affirmative actions to draw national attention to the disparity in the public and private investments in America's black colleges and their white counterparts, while serving as head of the Institute for Services to Education (ISE); and
Whereas the fiery, eloquent rage expressed by black college presidents and their allies, including Dr. Elias Blake, culminated in the formation of the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO), the national membership association of the presidents and chancellors of all of the nation’s historically black colleges and universities and predominantly black institutions, over which Dr. Niles Fischer presided as the founding president and CEO; and
Whereas in furtherance of his understanding of the needs of low income, first generation students, and the need to strengthen Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to make them comparable to and competitive with their historically white counterparts, Elias Blake served on the design team that launched the Upward Bound Program and laid the foundation for the Title III B of the Higher Education Act; and
Whereas along with Dr. Herbert Ordre Reid, Howard University's Distinguished Professor of Constitutional Law, his then Senior Research Associate, Lezli Baskerville, and others, Dr. Blake served as a member of the brain trust that formulated and advanced the landmark HBCU equalization case, Adams vs. Richardson; and
Whereas Elias Blake played a central role in the deliberations that led Herb Reid and a team of celebrated researchers and constitutional experts including J. Clay Smith, Genna Rae McNeil, Herschelle Reed, Arkie Byrd and zealous law students like Robert Bell, Tamara Harris, Ezart A. Wynters Baskerville and others, in preparing and submitting to the Supreme Court amicus curiae briefs in the Bakke, Weber, and Fullilove cases on behalf of NAFEO, the National Bar Association and National Medical Association; and
Whereas these briefs evoked accolades from the late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall; and
Whereas Dr. Samuel Myers, President and CEO of NAFEO during the Carter Administration, picked Dr. Elias Blake to chair a committee of black college presidents charged with drafting a Presidential Executive Order supporting black colleges; and
Whereas the resulting Executive Order was signed by President Carter and by every subsequent President of the United States; and
Whereas the Order has generated in excess of 83 billion dollars for the black colleges, and has served as a model for Executive Orders serving other groups; and
Whereas Dr. Elias Blake was an early participant in the establishment of a commission on black colleges, which has since, evolved into the President's Advisory Committee on Black Colleges and Universities; and
Whereas during his ten-year presidency at Clark College, President Blake oversaw a period of growth in enrollment, course offerings, and school finances; and
Whereas President Blake strengthened the academic foundation of Clark College and made it an attractive partner for a merger with Atlanta University, forming Clark-Atlanta University; and
Whereas because of his passion, vision, courage, voice and willingness to loose himself to the great and noble cause of preserving and enhancing America's black colleges and universities they stand stronger today; and
Whereas because Dr. Black dedicated himself to the highest good that he knew, held on to the highest ideals that he knew, and never compromised principles relating to the HBCU Fraternity or the institutions, and he did not allow his spirit, ambition, or faith to be destroyed under the impact of trials and crisis,
Now therefore be it resolved that the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education and the entire black college fraternity declare Dr. Blake's race well done and his life worth celebrating ad perpetuam rei memoriam.
On his Homegoing we pay homage to Dr. Blake. As he transcends this life we bid Dr. Blake, farewell. "Farewell sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."
Respectfully submitted this 26th day of June, 2007,
Joe A. Lee
Chairman of the Board
Lezli Baskerville
President & CEO
2007 © | NAFEO | National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education - If You can Dream it, You can Achieve it at an HBCU.