Freedom
through education is a strong black American tradition. This statement is appropriate
when one examines the historical roots that inspired and motivated William Gray,
III. His grandfather was a college professor, and his father, William H. Gray,
Jr., was president of Florida A K M University and Florida Memorial College.
Gray's mother was a dean at Southern University, and his sister is presently
a college professor.
Some family members were
ministers as well as educators, and Gray followed in that tradition also. He
earned a master's degree in theology from Princeton Theological Seminary after
graduating from Franklin and Marshall College in 1963. Later, he became a professor
of history and religion at five institutions of higher learning and for 20 years,
was pastor of the 5,000-member Bright Hope Baptist Church in Philadelphia.
In 1918, Rev. Gray was elected
to the U.S. House of Representatives and served there until the fall of 1991.
In Congress, he earned the reputation of being a tough negotiator and consensus
builder. Congressman Gray was chairman of the powerful Budget Committee for
four years, and the Democrat Party whip. Some observers believed that he was
the highest ranking and most powerful black member in the history of the House
of Representatives. Congressman Gray led the fight to impose economic sanctions
against South Africa in 1985.
In 1991, Congressman Gray
resigned from Congress to become president and chief executive officer of the
United Negro College Fund (UNCF). In 1994, he accepted President Clinton's offer
to serve as a temporary, unpaid advisor on Haiti and assisted in developing
plans to restore democracy in Haiti.
The United Negro College
Fund is America's oldest and most successful black higher education organization.
It consists of 41 historically black colleges and universities and annually
provides educational opportunities to over 50,000 black American students. Since
assuming the leadership of UNCF, Gray has established new records for raising
funds, increasing programs and services while cutting costs. He views his role
change from congressman to foundation executive as, "a great challenge to provide
the resources needed to educate the future generation of leaders who soon will
take their places in the fields of science, teaching, agriculture, medicine,
and yes, even the halls of Congress."
