SAVE THE BLAKE FAMILY HOUSE

"SOS! Throw out the lifelines!" to save the Blake family home.

This is a unique opportunity to help save the home of a woman who committed 40 years of her life to social services in the Chicagoland area and who is the widow of a great civil rights activist. The late Rev. Jacob S. Blake marched three times with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama, Washington DC and Chicago, IL. He was the first Black Business Agent in the union and the first black crane operator. Rev. Jacob S. Blake and Mrs. Blake built St. James AME Church on 93rd and Lafayette (on the Dan Ryan). He marched against redlining and for integrating schools. He was promoted to pastor Ebenezer AME church in Evanston, IL, to increase the church congregation. He built the Prim Towers in Evanston, which still stands 40 years later, servicing over 120 senior citizens and providing residency for them. 20 years after he passed, they named a senior citizen home after him called the Jacob Blake Manor.

Patricia Goudeau Blake was much younger than our dad. She graduated from DePaul University with a degree in Social Service and Theology. Our mother supported our dad strongly. As he marched around the country, mom maintained the church and the family of three children. She accompanied our father to Mexico City for the largest conclave of Methodist religions and also to Alaska to represent the AME church. She was present when dad went to South Africa to help build an AME church and raised money for the African National Congress (ANC) and Nelson Mandela. After dad passed, mom worked four jobs at one time for years to support her family.

This home has been in the family for close to 75 years. It was initially purchased by our great-grandparents, Arthur and Lola Williamson and grandparents, Jean and L'ouverture Goudeau. Arthur Williamson was a member of the Pullman porter's union and worked for nearly 40 years as a steward on the dining car. L'ouverture Goudeau was trained in aviation and was sent to the Tuskegee Army Air Fields, where he worked as an instructor for the world-renowned Tuskegee Airmen. The book and movie "A Raisin in the Sun" could have been about our family. Our family was the first Black family to break the racial barrier, living on the east side of the Dan Ryan. The taxes paid on this house over the many years we have had it would have paid for this home multiple times. We are not trying to make excuses; however, after suffering a heart attack and needing triple bypass surgery, mom's income was reduced significantly; and medical bills and medication took precedence over paying taxes.

The Black Underground Recycling has served thousands of senior citizens in the Chicagoland area over the years, and we have seen these issues affect many senior citizens. Often living on a fixed income, difficult choices too often need to be made by too many of our seniors: to pay for groceries? medications? household expenses? After we resolve this issue for our mother, we guarantee that we will battle this issue with the mayor of Chicago and surrounding suburbs, Cook County Commissioner, Alderman and Governor.

THIS IS URGENT. WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW. THE SHERIFF IS KNOCKING ON THE DOOR!

Thank you to all! Big ups to the Red, the Black and the Green. Unity Now One Africa