Today, the City of Cocoa honors the life and legacy of a true Cocoa legend, Richard “Dick” Blake — father of current Cocoa Mayor Michael C. Blake, as well as Sheralyn and Mark.
Mr. Blake made history as the first African American principal in Brevard Public Schools following the desegregation of schools. He served as principal of Cocoa High School for 23 years and was a dedicated member of the Rockledge City Council for 40 consecutive years, from 1976 to 2016.
Blake came from humble beginnings, born in 1933 in Bonaventure, a small community just south of Rockledge in Brevard County, into a family of migrant workers. During the 1950s, he spent his summers in upstate New York picking crops alongside his family. His father, Virgil Blake, believed deeply in the strength and potential of their hometown, saying that “Cocoa is where the family belonged.” That belief helped root generations of service and leadership in the community.
In 2018, the Brevard County School Board unanimously voted to name Cocoa Jr./Sr. High School’s stadium the Richard “Dick” Blake Stadium in his honor. His impact spanned generations, touching countless lives through civil rights activism, coaching, education, mentorship, and public service. His passion for the communities of Cocoa and Rockledge was unwavering. Blake Avenue in Cocoa is named after his father, Virgil Blake, who was the first African American to serve on a major advisory board in the City of Cocoa.
