Eugene Carson Blake | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Blake in 1967 | |
| Born | (1906-11-07)November 7, 1906 |
| Died | July 31, 1985(1985-07-31) (aged 78) Stamford, Connecticut, United States |
| Occupation(s) | Presbyterian Church leader, president of theNational Council of Churches, head of theWorld Council of Churches |
| Spouses | |
| Parent(s) | Orville Prescott Blake and Lulu Carson |
| Relatives | Rhea Carson Blake Harvey (sister); Howard Carson Blake (brother) |
Eugene Carson Blake (November 7, 1906 – July 31, 1985) was an American Presbyterian Church leader.
From 1954 to 1957 he served as president of theNational Council of Churches in theUnited States; from 1966 to 1972 he served as General Secretary of theWorld Council of Churches.[1][2] He also helped organize and would subsequently participate in the 1963March on Washington.
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Eugene Carson Blake was born inSt. Louis, Missouri on November 7, 1906, the son of Lulu and Orville Prescott Blake. He graduated fromPrinceton University in 1928 with aBachelor of Arts and thePrinceton Theological Seminary in 1932 with aBachelor of Theology. He would also attend classes at theUniversity of Edinburgh.
From 1928 to 1929, he taught at theForman Christian College inLahore; from 1935 to 1951, he was the minister ofPresbyterian churches in America, holding pastorates at churches in New York City andAlbany, as well as serving as the Senior Minister of Pasadena Presbyterian Church inPasadena for eleven years.
From 1951 to 1958, he was stated clerk of the General Assembly of thePCUSA, and of theUnited Presbyterian Church until 1966.[3] He served as the president of theNational Council of Churches from 1954 to 1957 and the General Secretary of theWorld Council of Churches in 1966. Blake retired from theWorld Council of Churches in 1972.[4]
Blake became a trustee of Princeton Seminary in 1954.
Although an experienced and talented administrator, Eugene Carson Blake is best known for his forthright stand againstracial segregation as well for his progressive stance on a number of issues affecting Protestant church denominations. In 1960, he preached a sermon calling for the unification of a number of major Protestant denominations into one separate church. This sermon is considered to be the impetus for the 40-yearConsultation on Church Unionecumenical effort to unite tenmainline denominations.[5]
In 1963,Martin Luther King Jr. and Blake, along with the rest of the "Big Six" andMathew Ahmann,Walter Reuther, and RabbiJoachim Prinz called for aMarch on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963.[6] King, Blake, and the other organizers met with PresidentJohn F. Kennedy at theWhite House before the event, and subsequently participated in the demonstration, marching downConstitution Avenue with linked arms. At theLincoln Memorial, Blake spoke to the marchers followingA. Philip Randolph and beforeJohn Lewis. Martin Luther King gave his "I Have a Dream" speech a few minutes later.
Blake died in 1985. He is buried inStamford's Long Ridge Union Cemetery.
There are multiple collections of Eugene Carson Blake's papers at thePresbyterian Historical Society inPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania. They include papersrelating to his tenure as stated clerk of the General Assembly,correspondence and addresses, andpersonal papers from 1940-1966.
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