[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6419]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING DR. J. HERMAN BLAKE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 7, 2013

  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
extraordinary career of Dr. J. Herman Blake as we celebrate over forty 
five years of his contributions to higher education. Dr. Blake 
continues to be a celebrated educator, and we join together in praise 
of his remarkable academic and cultural contributions to the Bay Area, 
California, and our great nation.
  Born John Herman Blake in Mount Vernon, New York on March 15, 1934, 
Dr. Blake grew up with six siblings and was raised by a single mother, 
Lylace E. Blake. Dr. Blake served in the U.S. Army during the Korean 
War, and furthered his education with the assistance of the G.I. Bill 
by graduating from New York University with a B.A. degree in sociology. 
Dr. Blake went on to receive his M.A. degree and his Ph.D. in sociology 
from the University of California, Berkeley.
  Dr. Blake's exemplary academic career has spanned over four decades 
as a professor, scholar and administrator at a wide array of 
institutions. He served an eighteen year tenure at the University of 
California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) where he became the first African 
American on faculty as the Assistant Professor of Sociology. Dr. Blake 
also served as the founding Provost of Oakes College at UCSC. Following 
his tenure at UCSC, Dr. Blake went on to serve as President of Tougaloo 
College in Mississippi.
  He has also held positions at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, 
Mills College in Oakland, California, served as the Vice Chancellor at 
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, and served as the 
Director of African American Studies at Iowa State University. Dr. 
Blake retired from Iowa State University as Professor of Sociology-
Emeritus and served most recently as Scholar in Residence and founding 
Director of the Sea Islands at the University of South Carolina, 
Beaufort. Currently, Dr. Blake is the Inaugural Humanities Scholar in 
Residence at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston.
  Throughout his prolific career, Dr. Blake has focused on academic 
achievement of students from minority and/or low-wealth communities. 
His important work not only focuses on maximizing student achievement 
and closing disparate learning gaps between our young people, but also 
focuses on Gullah communities in South Carolina and Black militants in 
urban communities.
  Dr. Blake has earned myriad accolades, including Iowa Professor of 
the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Education 
and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. He has 
been awarded six honorary degrees and two presidential medals.
  As a student at Mills College, I had the privilege to benefit from 
Dr. Blake's amazing intellect. Also, I worked with him as a researcher 
for his book, the autobiography of Huey P. Newton, Revolutionary 
Suicide. He taught me how to conduct and present thorough research and 
to this day, these skills I learned under Dr. Blake's tutelage have 
benefitted my work tremendously. Dr. Blake took me under his wings and 
encouraged me to study hard. He saw something in me that I did not see. 
He was patient and kind but he was determined to push my intellect and 
help me understand I could achieve the American dream regardless of the 
difficulties I faced as a young single mother on public assistance. For 
that, I am forever grateful.
  Therefore, on behalf of California's 13th Congressional District, Dr. 
J. Herman Blake, I salute you. You have touched countless lives in 
profound ways throughout your career, and we wish you continued success 
and happiness. Thank you for your continued work, and best wishes to 
you and your loved ones in the years to come.

                          ____________________