The U.S. Department of Commerce's Office of Minority Business Enterprise (OMBE) has presented its Award of Excellence to Dr. Emmer Martin Lancaster, a pioneer in the fostering of minority business enterprise. He was Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on Negro Affairs from 1940 to 1968, and served as Manpower Development Specialist, United Planning Office in Washington from 1968 until his retirement from government service in September 1974. Dr. Lancaster received the award at the Frontiers Clubs Annual Vitiligo Conference in Nashville, Tennessee July 27. The Frontiers Vitiligo Project, which was founded by Dr. Lancaster, is a program which is providing research into the cause and possible cure for Vitiligo, a skin disease which affects blacks. The disease causes a gradual and irregular whitening of the skin. Over $30,000 has been donated to the Medical School at Howard University in Washington, D.C. for research into the disease by the Frontiers. There are approximately 2,500 members in the organization, comprised of business and professional leaders from black communities. In addition to the Vitiligo project, the group also supports a broad crosssection of community projects. The theme for this year's conference is, "Aiding Black Survival in Urban America Through the Frontiers Movement." Dr. Lancaster was cited on the award, which was signed by Dr. Randolph T. Blackwell OMBE director-designate, "In recognition of outstanding achievement in support of minority business enterprise and equal business opportunity for all Americans." His business experience includes the founding of the American Savings and Loan League — a national trade association of black savings and loan associations; serving as secretary, National Negro Business League; secretary of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce; chairman, Joint Convention Committee of the National Business League; and secretary/The Sphinx / October 1977
legal counsel of the Clarence E. Shaw and Company Securities Brokers in D.C. Dr. Lancaster is from Akron, Ohio, where he presently practices law. He attended public school in Akron and earned his A.B. degree from the University of Akron, and a M.S. from the School of Business Administration, New York University, commuting from Washington, D.C. to New York one day each week to do so. He has a LL.B. degree from Western Reserve University Law School and an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Akron, at which he was the first black to graduate in 1921. While an undergraduate at Akron, Dr. Lancaster was the first black on the school's track, baseball, and debating teams. He was also initiated into the Pi Kappa Delta Honorary Debating Society of the school. Dr. Lancaster was admitted to the Ohio Bar in December 1926. He has been admitted to practice in all courts of Ohio; the U.S. District Court of the northern district of Ohio; U.S. Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court; the U.S. Tax Court, Washington, D.C; and U.S. District Court of D.C. Dr. Lancaster, who is one of the founders of Alpha Tau Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at the University of Akron, has authored many government and private sector publications on banking, economics and other related subjects. He is the holder of the National Business League's Symbol of Service Award; special honorary awards from the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the D.C. Business League and the D.C. Frontiers Club. Brother Lancaster was initiated into the Fraternity at Pi Chapter, Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio in 1923 and has been active in all levels of Alpha since that time. He was one of the 50-year Brothers honored at the 1977 General Convention in Atlanta. In the forefront of the fight for economic opportunity — Dr. Emmer Martin Lancaster continues to be an Alpha On the Move! 19