Paul Parks

Paul Parks (May 7, 1923—August 1, 2009) was an American civil engineer. Parks became the first African American Secretary of Education for Massachusetts, and was appointed by Governor Michael Dukakis to serve from 1975 until 1979. Mayor Raymond Flynn appointed Parks to the Boston School Committee, where he was also the first African American.

Career

Born to Cleab and Hazel, Parks attended Crispus Attucks High School, an all-black school in Indianapolis. He then entered Purdue University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering, and received his Doctor of Philosophy from Northeastern University. There, Parks was part of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

In 1942, Parks was drafted into the United States Army, and was subsequently sent to Europe as a combat engineer in 1943 during World War II, where he served until 1945.

Upon being discharged from the military, Parks initial work experience came in the form of planning and design positions for the Indiana Department of Transportation (1949-1951), Stone & Webster (1951), Fay, Spofford & Thorndike (1951-1952), and Vought (1952-1953). He would later gain employment as an engineer for Pratt & Whitney (1953-1957). In 1957, Parks began his own engineering firm, Paul Parks and Associates, which was in business until 1967.

Parks was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers during his lifetime.

Parks died of cancer in 2009.

Personal life

Parks was of African American, Muscogee, and Seminole ancestry. Parks married Dorothy Alexander on February 2, 1947 with whom he had three children: Paul Jr., Pamela, and Stacy. In 1972, Parks married Virginia Loftman.