Frank N. Mickens, former principal of Boys and Girls High, has passed away.
Frank N. Mickens, former Boys and Girls High School principal and basketball coach, passed away of natural causes at his home on Thursday, July 9, 2009.
A lifelong resident and native of the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, Frank N. Mickens was born to parents John and Hortense Mickens on June 22, 1946.
Coach Mickens attended Junior Academy during the elementary years of his education. He continued with his studies in the New York City public schools, graduating from Erasmus Hall High School in 1964. Mr. Mickens completed his undergraduate studies at the State University of New York at Potsdam. He received his Masters from New York University, and completed graduate work at Columbia University. In December 1991, Mr. Mickens was awarded an honorary doctorate from Medgar Evers College.
Dr. Mickens had over 36 years of experience as an educator in the New York City public school system. Through the years, he served as teacher, dean, basketball coach, assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent.
Mickens began his illustrious career in 1968 as a teacher of Social Studies at the Old Boys High School, spending ten years there. From 1978-1982, he served as assistant principal of Junior High School 109 in Queens. From 1982-1984, he served as principal of Junior High School 324 in Bedford Stuyvesant. In September 1985, Mr. Mickens was appointed principal of Martin Luther King, Jr. High School.
Mr. Mickens served as principal of Boys and Girls High School for 18 years (1986-2004). “Mick,” as he was respectfully and endearingly hailed by students, staff, and denizens of Fulton Street, received nationwide recognition for his commitment to young people and for the relentless campaign of his positive program on self-esteem at “The High.”
In recognition of his initiatives for young people, Mr. Mickens was featured often in The New York Times, New York magazine, New York Newsday, and The New York Amsterdam News. Also known and loved as “The Chancellor of Fulton Street,” he appeared on The Today Show, Geraldo, The John Walsh Show, Good Day New York, CNN, Best Talk in Town, The McCreary Report and The MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour with Charlayne Hunter-Gault. On March 7, 1992, ABC National TV News designated Mr. Mickens as its “Person of the Week.”
Mr. Mickens attended Harvard University’s Principals’ Center at the Harvard Graduate School of Education as a part-time visiting practitioner.
On November 18, 1992, Joseph A Fernandez, the New York City chancellor of schools, appointed Mr. Mickens to serve in the position of administrative superintendent in addition to his duties as principal of Boys and Girls High School. Dr. Mickens also served as an adjunct professor at Long Island University, New York University, PACE University and Baruch College, and was also a Charles H. Revson Fellow at Columbia University.
A noted lecturer on effective schools, Mr. Mickens spoke engagingly at educational forums throughout New York City, Atlanta, Chicago, Kentucky, Georgia and Washington, D.C.
The New York City Department of Education lost a legend with the death of Frank N. Mickens. Mick was a mentor, brother, uncle and father to students, staff, and family. Mick touched the lives of 1000s of children and adults from NYC and across the world. He will be dearly missed by all.
A viewing and public memorial service for Coach Frank N. Mickens will be held on Friday, July 17, 2009. The Friday viewing will take place at Woodward Funeral Home, which is located at 1 Troy Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11213-1129 from 12-8pm. The public memorial service will begin at 6pm on Friday, July 17 at Boys and Girls High School (1700 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY). Attendees are encouraged to pay their respects at the funeral home and then walk to Boys and Girls High School, which is one long block away. On Friday, attendees whose lives Mick touched are encouraged to wear “Red, Black, and White” in his honor for the home-going celebration.
Funeral services will take place on Saturday, July 18, 2009 at The Elim International Fellowship, located at 20 Madison Street, Brooklyn, NY 11238. On Saturday, there will be a viewing of our beloved Frank N. Mickens from 8-9:15am, with funeral services immediately following at 9:30am. In honoring Mr. Mickens’ internationally acclaimed Dress-for-Success program, all men are encouraged to wear bow ties to the funeral services on Saturday.
He will be missed.. He is truly a Reckless educator, motivator, leader and trend setter his impact on his community will be missed dearly. Yet his accomplishments will never be forgotten.
Devin Carthan President of Reckless Promotions
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