Creed Black, ex-president of Knight Foundation, dies

Newspaper editor and publisher Creed C. Black, the former president of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, died Tuesday in Miami. He was 86.

Black became president of the Knight Foundation in 1988 after a long career in journalism that included being named editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1970 and publisher of the Lexington Herald-Leader in 1977.

When Black took over the Knight Foundation, the grant-making nonprofit organization was based in Akron and had five employees. During his 10-year tenure, the foundation doubled its assets to $1.2 billion, according to an online obituary penned by the current foundation president, Alberto Ibarguen.

Black oversaw the foundation’s move from Akron to Miami, where the Knight brothers had relocated the headquarters of Knight-Ridder newspapers. He created a national presence for the foundation, which trains journalists from around the world while supporting arts, education and civic engagement programs in the 26 communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers.

Just last week, the National Collegiate Athletic Association adopted a policy that Black had championed for more than 20 years, according to Ibarguen.

Teams participating in an NCAA-sponsored championship or football bowl game now must be on track to graduate at least 50 percent of their players. The new policy is consistent with recommendations the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics made in 2001 and 2010 reports.

“The Knight Commission’s work embodies Creed’s value-driven life, and his high expectations, of himself and others,” Ibarguen wrote on the Knight Foundation’s website. “It is fitting that he was engaged with the commission’s work until his final days. What he began will continue to impact people’s lives and values in the future.”

Black began his journalism career when he was 17 at his hometown newspaper, the Paducah (Ky.) Sun-Democrat.

Black worked for Stars & Stripes following World War II and graduated from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism in 1949. He was an editorial writer and executive editor of the Nashville Tennessean; vice president and executive editor of the Savannah Morning News and Evening Press; vice president and executive editor of the Wilmington (Del.) Morning News and Evening Journal; and managing editor and executive editor of the Chicago Daily News.

After serving 18 months in the Nixon administration as the assistant secretary for legislation for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Black was named vice president and editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Inquirer was owned by Knight Newspapers, which bought the Herald and Leader in 1973. The Akron Beacon Journal also is a former Knight-Ridder newspaper.

Black returned to his home state to become the publisher who consolidated the Herald and Leader into one in 1983. During his tenure as publisher of the Lexington Herald-Leader, the newspaper won the first of its three Pulitzer prizes.

Black is survived by his wife, Elsa; sons Creed Jr., Steven and Douglas; and daughter Michelle.

A memorial service will be held in Miami at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Kendall United Methodist Church, 7600 SW 104th St. Interment will occur later in Paducah, Ky.
[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH, Wednesday, August 17, 2011, page B4, col.1]