THE CAESAR FAMILY By Dr. Franklin Caesar ’72 P’00 It all started back in 1967. I attended the Brooklyn Prep Higher Achievement Program (HAP), and we competed against Xavier HAP in softball, track, dodgeball, and basketball. I attended Xavier’s fall Open House with my parents that year and fell in love with the dress blue uniform of the cadets standing at attention in front of the entrance. When I was offered a HAP scholarship to attend Brooklyn Prep in 1968, I did the unimaginable—I asked if I could transfer that scholarship to attend Xavier High School. My mother, Virginia Caesar P’72 ’81, was my inspiration for making the request. My two older brothers had attended Rice High School, the Christian Brothers school in Harlem. Everyone thought that I would also attend Rice. But it was the lure of the JROTC that swayed me. A long story short—even though it had never been done, I was granted permission to attend Xavier with my HAP scholarship. So began the family legacy at Xavier High School. I graduated as a captain in the Regiment, played basketball, and ran cross country and indoor track. I was a HAP tutor for four years and ultimately returned to Xavier after attending St. John’s University. I was a teacher, department chair, coach, director, and assistant headmaster over a span of 20 years. My youngest brother, Francis Caesar, Esq. ’81, also graduated as a Regimental captain. He was the 1981 class president, coeditor of the Xavier Review, a saxophonist in the Jazz Ensemble, a Regimental band drum major, and a Xavier HAP tutor for four years. He went on to the University of Chicago. Our family expanded through my nephew, Joel Briscoe ’84. I married Joel’s aunt, Marthajean Buchanan Caesar P’00, in 1982. We met through Joel’s mother, Patricia Briscoe P’84. Joel played football and basketball, participated in the AfricanAmerican Culture Club, and continued the family tradition of being a HAP tutor for four years. He went on to Cornell University. My oldest son, Nicholas Caesar ’00, arrived at Xavier in 1996. He attended HAP, participated in cross country, indoor track, and basketball and became a member of the African-American Culture Club. Nicholas went on to St. Thomas Aquinas College. My second cousin and godson, Vincent Caesar ’01, graduated as a 1st Lieutenant in the JROTC, ran indoor track, and was part of the bowling team. A member of the National Honor Society, he attended Washington University in St. Louis.
Joel Briscoe ’84 and his uncle, Dr. Franklin Caesar ’72 P’00
I feel blessed that my son, nephew, brother, cousin, and I were able to experience a Jesuit education at Xavier. Personally, I learned how we, as human beings, can be a force for good in this world. I learned how to discern all of my actions in life. This made me see how being a man for others was the key to being a good person. Finally, I came to see God in mankind and realized we have more similarities than differences. Race, religion, ethnicity, culture, or sexual orientation are just the myriad faces of God. At Xavier, I learned that we need to love ourselves and all others with the same passion.
XAVIER MAGAZINE 15