H. J. Blackham
Encyclopedia
Harold John Blackham was a leading British humanist
and writer on philosophical and historical subjects.
Joining the Ethical Union, Blackham drew the organisation further away from religious forms and played an important part in its formation into the British Humanist Association
, becoming the BHA's first Executive Director in 1963. He was also a founding member of the International Humanist and Ethical Union
(IHEU), IHEU secretary (1952–1966), and received the IHEU's International Humanist Award in 1974, and the Special Award for Service to World Humanism in 1978.
His book Six Existentialist Thinkers became a popular university textbook.
He died on 23 January 2009 at the age of 105.
Secular humanism
Secular Humanism, alternatively known as Humanism , is a secular philosophy that embraces human reason, ethics, justice, and the search for human fulfillment...
and writer on philosophical and historical subjects.
Joining the Ethical Union, Blackham drew the organisation further away from religious forms and played an important part in its formation into the British Humanist Association
British Humanist Association
The British Humanist Association is an organisation of the United Kingdom which promotes Humanism and represents "people who seek to live good lives without religious or superstitious beliefs." The BHA is committed to secularism, human rights, democracy, egalitarianism and mutual respect...
, becoming the BHA's first Executive Director in 1963. He was also a founding member of the International Humanist and Ethical Union
International Humanist and Ethical Union
The International Humanist and Ethical Union is an umbrella organisation embracing humanist, atheist, rationalist, secular, skeptic, freethought and Ethical Culture organisations worldwide. Founded in Amsterdam in 1952, the IHEU is a democratic union of more than 100 member organizations in 40...
(IHEU), IHEU secretary (1952–1966), and received the IHEU's International Humanist Award in 1974, and the Special Award for Service to World Humanism in 1978.
His book Six Existentialist Thinkers became a popular university textbook.
He died on 23 January 2009 at the age of 105.
Publications
- Bury, JB, with an historical epilogue by HJ Blackham. A History of Freedom of Thought (2001). University Press of the Pacific. ISBN 0-89875-166-7
- The Future of our Past: from Ancient Greece to Global Village (1996). Prometheus Books. ISBN 1-57392-042-8
- The Fable as Literature (1985). London: Continuum International Publishing Group - Athlone. ISBN 0-485-11278-7
- Education for Personal Autonomy: Inquiry into the School's Resources for Furthering the Personal Development of Pupils (editor) (1977). London: Bedford Sq. Press. ISBN 0-7199-0937-6
- Humanists and Quakers: an exchange of letters (with Harold Loukes) (1969). Friends Home Service. ISBN 0-85245-011-7
- Humanism (1968). London: Penguin. (published by Harvester in hardback, 1976. ISBN 0-85527-209-0)
- Religion in a Modern Society (1966). London: Constable
- Objections to Humanism (editor) (1963). London: Constable. ISBN 0-09-450170-X (published in paperback by Penguin, 1965, ISBN 0-14-020765-1)
- The Humanist Tradition (1953). London: Routledge.
- Six Existentialist Thinkers (1952). London: Routledge. ISBN 0-7100-1087-7
- Living as a Humanist (1950)
External links
- BHA obituary of HJ Blackham
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/atheism/people/blackham.shtmlBBC biography of HJ Blackham by Jim HerrickJim HerrickJim Herrick is a British Humanist and secularist. He studied history and English literature at Trinity College, Cambridge University, and then worked as a school teacher for seven years...
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