Floyd Harold Flake

Congressman Floyd Flake represented New York’s 6th Congressional District from 1987 to 1997 (100th-105th Congresses). When elected, Flake was new to public office but was the pastor of one of the largest churches in New York City, Allen African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church (now The Greater Allen Cathedral of New York). During his tenure, Flake served on the Banking and Small Business committees. Eventually, Flake rose to chair the panel’s Subcommittee on General Oversight. Flake effectively used his committee assignments to help steer federal money toward urban renewal projects in his District. In cooperation with other ranking members of the Banking Committee, Flake proposed vital legislation that would later be incorporated into the Community Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act, signed into law in 1994. After resigning from Congress to return to his duties of Allen A.M.E. Church, Flake continued to be politically active on such issues as school vouchers. He was appointed president of Wilberforce University in October 2002, after serving six months as interim president. He is also the author of several books. Flake earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Wilberforce University and completed graduate work at Payne Theological Seminary before earning his master’s degree in Divinity at the United Theological Seminary.