ENROLLED
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 29
BY REPRESENTATIVE JENKINS
A RESOLUTION
To express the condolences of the House of Representatives upon the death of pastor and
civil rights activist Reverend Doctor Harry Blake.
WHEREAS, during Reverend Blake's eighty-five eventful years on earth, he
maintained that he planned the stages of his life; his journey took him from the cotton fields
in northeast Louisiana to the mission fields in Shreveport; he spent four years planning civil
rights protests with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and assisting Dr. King's staff; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Blake's work during the civil rights movement resulted in his
being beaten to near the point of death and arrested; nonetheless, he continued his work,
taking on pastoral responsibilities at Mt. Canaan Baptist Church in Shreveport, where he
remained for fifty-two years, stepping down in 2018; and
WHEREAS, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Reverend Blake regrettably
fell extremely ill with the novel coronavirus and ultimately took his final rest; Harry Blake
was undeniably a driven man who worked to ensure basic civil liberties in the United States
and devoted a great portion of his time and efforts to his community as a pastor; he will be
deeply missed by his family as well as those he served while pastor of Mt. Canaan Baptist
Church.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby express heartfelt condolences upon the death of pastor
and civil rights activist Reverend Doctor Harry Blake and does hereby extend hopes and
wishes that the family and friends of Harry Blake may find comfort in his memory.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
family of Reverend Doctor Harry Blake.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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