Another Giant, Dr. Charles Blockson has passed

The great, amazing, staunch, powerful scholar and historian Dr. Charles L. Blockson has passed. Talk about an amazing personality. I am so glad I got to know him, to interview him several times over the years, to broadcast live a couple of times from the Blockson Library, and to go on personal tours with him leading the way at the Dr. Charles Blockson Collection on the main campus of Temple University in North Philadelphia.
Dr. Diane Turner, who worked closely with Dr. Blockson and who is the curator of the Blockson collection, a close confidant and friend to Dr. Blockson, stated, “Dr. Blockson was one of our historical and cultural warriors during a time when that kind of thing wasn’t popular. While Dr. Blockson liked to put on a tough exterior and he was a strong man in all the definitions of the word, he was also very much a gentle giant. He inspired so many writers, including myself. He would always say, “Keep your hands on the plow. He will be greatly missed. His absence will leave a void. We might not be able to see him anymore in the flesh, but his legacy will live on for generations to come.”
Steve Orbanek, Director of Communications for Temple University, stated, “It is with sadness that we share that Charles L. Blockson, the curator emeritus of the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection at Temple University, passed away Wednesday, June 14, at his home. He was 89. Blockson is remembered as the architect behind one of the most prestigious collections of African American artifacts in the U.S. Located inside Temple’s Sullivan Hall, the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection houses more than 700,000 items relating to the global Black experience, and its extensive catalog dates from 1581 to the present.”
“Charles Blockson spent a lifetime collecting the most precious African American artifacts, and in 1984 he donated that collection to Temple University, providing an enriching campus experience not only for our students, faculty, and staff but also the Philadelphia community and beyond,” said acting President JoAnne Epps. “He was a kind soul, devoted to preserving and recording America’s history. He will be missed, but his legacy will forever live on through Temple’s Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, one of Temple’s jewels and a hallmark of this institution.”
An accomplished bibliophile and author, Blockson’s passion for collecting started at a young age, and its origins can be traced back to an experience he had while attending elementary school in the Norristown area. There, a fourth-grade substitute teacher, a white woman, informed Blockson that individuals who look like him have no history and that they were born to serve white people. Blockson went home and told his parents, who made sure that he was introduced to Negro literature, The Philadelphia Tribune, other local black newspapers, the Crisis and Negro Digest magazines, as well as the work of prominent African American men and women. This sparked a passion in Blockson that he continued to pursue throughout his life.
Blockson once said, “My main goal in life is to build a good library of Black history—knowledge is a form of Black power, and this is my part in it.” It’s safe to say that he accomplished his goal.
“Mr. Blockson is well-respected because of his passion for collecting, preserving, and disseminating the histories of people of African descent,” said Diane Turner, curator of Temple’s Blockson Collection. “His collections make accessible rich and diverse stories about their histories and cultures. He has been a great influence on numerous scholars, students, and people of all nationalities. In honor of Mr. Blockson, we in the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection will continue to promote his legacy through hard work and dedication because we love him.”
Since being donated to Temple in 1984, The Blockson Collection has served as a resource for both the Temple and North Philadelphia communities. It is especially significant for students and faculty members in the Department of Africology and African American Studies, which is one of the oldest in the U.S. and the first to offer a doctoral program in 1988.
“No African American that I can recall has ever had an impact on the genealogical study of African people as Charles Blockson did. Using his vast knowledge and his family background as a platform, he tremendously advanced our understanding of contemporary African history,” said Molefi Kete Asante, professor in the Department of Africology and African American Studies.
“Blockson was a man who hunted in the forest of knowledge, and the books that he discovered became trophies that did not sit on shelves; but instead actively energized an entire population,” Asante said. “He is, in my judgment, one of Temple’s most legendary figures. He was also, for me, a personal friend, a mentor, and a fighter for justice. He hated racism and was determined to ensure that all humans recognize the African source of information and knowledge. I loved him, the community loved him, and he will surely be missed.”
The Blockson Collection, which is part of Temple University Libraries, is open daily, from 9 am to 5 pm, to the general public. Some of the materials Blockson acquired during his life that are part of the collection include books, manuscripts, sheet music, pamphlets, journals, newspapers, broadsides, posters, photographs, and rare ephemera.
Rev. Joseph Williams, Pastor of the Mount Airy United Fellowship Church, said, “ I am proud to say that Dr. Blockson and I formed a strong friendship and mutual respect over twenty years ago, and he asked that I become the Chaplain for the Blockson Library and Collection. I’ve served in that capacity for more than 15 years now. I’m going to miss my dear friend. May he rest in peace.”
Another longtime friend and close confidant to Dr. Blockson, Vernoca Michael, says another great Philadelphian has left us. Vernoca Michael, former owner of the Blue Horizon Boxing facility and ballroom in North Philadelphia, credits Dr. Blockson with inspiring and motivating her to get a historical marker in front of the Legendary Blue Horizon. He also encouraged her to take over as the Education Director for the Paul Robeson House in West Philadelphia, and it was Dr. Blockson who worked to develop the Paul Robeson House history panels, as well as working with Konnie Bunch of the National Museum of African American History in our nation’s capitol.
The family will hold a private service for Dr. Blockson, and at the appropriate time, a public memorial will be held. Details to follow.
Blockson is survived by his daughter, Noelle P. Blockson; his siblings, Betty Thompson, Caroline Caulker, Gertrude Poage, and James Blockson; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, godchildren, dear friends, and associates.