Passing of Dr. John Hope Franklin

[Still BLUTANG]

May he rest in peace. I've met Dr. Franklin, and have a few books autographed. Such a legacy.

[Professor]

STATEMENT FROM NC NAACP ON THE PASSING OF JOHN HOPE FRANKLIN

In the Christian Bible, there is a verse, describing a forerunner, which simply says "There was a man named John." We have now learned that a man named John Hope Franklin, who has been a gift to the entire world, a forerunner in the struggle for freedom, has now slipped gracefully into the hands of God. We, who knew Dr. Franklin, referred to him with the greatest respect because of the truth he told about our history which continually gave us hope that if we own the past we could correct our tomorrows.

Dr Franklin never relented in telling the whole truth about our journey from slavery to freedom, the ugliness of racism and social exclusion, the power of his people who not only endured but also fought against it and the promise of a new day. By always telling the truth to America and the world about history, he seared our conscience in such a way that constantly made it uncomfortable to accept the status quo. He reminded us that we must do more than merely apologize for the pain of the past but we must make amends that are tangible and rooted in a commitment to change.

This man named John was a scholar and prophetic voice for the world. The longevity of his life is in some way symbolic of the lengths he went to tell the story of his people and to always inspire truth, love and hope. May he rest now in peace and may we live and move forward in the paths he has laid down.

[Professor]

Brothers,

It is with great sadness that I inform you that Brother Dr. John Hope Franklin, America's historian, has passed. Brother Franklin, whose scholarship increased the nation’s understanding and knowledge of African Americans in its history, died of congestive heart failure this morning in Durham , North Carolina . Brother Franklin was 94 years of age.

Brother Franklin was a 1932 initiate of Alpha Chi Chapter at Fisk University where he earned his undergraduate degree. He later would earn his masters and his Ph.D degrees from Harvard University . In 1995 he was the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Brother Franklin was the historical architect for many of the great legal movements of the NAACP in the 1950s including the landmark “Brown vs. Board of Education” case in 1954. He was the author of many books including From Slavery to Freedom first published in 1947, and continuously updated with more than three million copies sold. He also was professor emeritus of History at Duke University .

It was my personal honor and pleasure to know him and spend time with Brother Franklin over the last 15 years.

The fraternity will announce its plans to celebrate the legacy of Brother Franklin in the near future. Please, also expect an announcement regarding the funeral and Omega Service as they are arranged.

Our prayers are with the Franklin family.





Fraternally,





Brother Skip Mason

General President

[AKA_Monet]

R.I.P.