U.S. Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
1967
Bio:
Background Information is taken from online Wikipedia article. "Robert Clifton Weaver served as the first United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (also known as HUD) from 1966 to 1968....received a Ph.D from Harvard University in 1934....He was the first African-American to hold a cabinet-level (Presidential Cabinet) position in the United States." (Wikipedia) According to a report by Bill Moyers prior to Weaver's confirmation as the Secretary of HUD, he wrote "Weaver had accomplished the most strenuous and nearly-impossible tasks, that he created a genuine sense of team spirit, and that he was both more exciting and intellectual than he seemed. Johnson's [i.e. President Johnson] own take on the report showed him that Weaver had to live with the political disadvantages of being a liberal progressive African American for the past 25 years, which meant that to advance and succeed, he always had to be respectful, decent, put on a good appearance, and not be arrogant." Weaver also served as advisor to the Secretary of the Interior, special assistant with the Housing Authority, and administrative assistant with the national Defense Advisory commission. The Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters was conferred Weaver during Commencement at the University of Detroit, April 29, 1967.