Nation's only black governor honored at Howard University Founders Day

NNPA

WASHINGTON-Until he was 14, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick shared a bunk bed with his mother and his sister, which meant every third night one of them slept on the floor.

By the time his daughter was 14, she had visited three continents and had experienced life in a way that he said he could have never conceived when he was her age, Patrick told hundreds during a recent ceremony celebrating the 141st anniversary of the founding of Howard University, the nation's premier historically black university.

Such a change in circumstances in only one generation could only happen in America, said Patrick, the nation's second African American governor.

"This is the American story," Patrick said, a story that he said he wants to make happen for more Americans as governor.

Patrick 51, a key cog in Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign, received an honorary doctorate degree from Howard University President H. Patrick Swygert during the ceremony. L. Douglas Wilder, the nation's first black governor, currently the mayor of Richmond, Va., helped bestow the honor.

Patrick was honored for his leadership in business, government and law. During his career, Patrick served under President Bill Clinton as assistant Attorney General for civil rights, the nation's top civil rights post. He also served on the Federal Election Reform Commission under Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford.

He worked as vice president and general counsel for Texaco and executive vice president and general counsel for Coca-Cola and later as corporate secretary for the company.

He was elected governor in November 2006.

Howard also bestowed honorary doctorate degrees on six of its graduates, CNN news anchor Fredricka Whitefield, Bermuda Premier Dr. Ewart F. Brown, U.S. Virgin Island justices Maria M. Cabret and Ivie Swan, former Howard Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning Harry G. Robinson and former Dean of the School of Engineering and Howard University professor emeritus M. Lucius Walker Jr.

The university was also celebrating the completion of its five-year, $272 million fundraising campaign, the largest in history by any African-American organization. More than 30 Howard graduates gave the school $1 million or more.

This is part of the March 19, 2008 online edition of Frost Illustrated.

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