Havard (Harvy) C. Blanks, Jr.

A Tribute to Harvy

So many words come to mind when I think of Harvy Blanks, and so many have been used by others to describe him. Words like brash, sassy, treasure, force of nature, a smoking gun. For me the words narrow down to loving, caring, dedicated, and maybe most of all, passionate. Harvy was passionate about life – about those he loved and those he didn't, about his craft, aliens and, most vociferously, about ideas. He had a way of making everyone feel like they were his best friend. Well, almost everyone. Certain conservative politicians and at least one football coach were exceptions. Harvy attacked projects and the many stage roles he played with great passion. And anyone embraced by a “Harvy hug” knows he did that with passion, too.

Harvy was born March 12, 1948, to Irma and Havard, Sr., in a self-described Chicago ghetto. He was the eldest of five children – Reginald, Kenneth, Toney and Susan. He also had an older half-brother, Lawrence. Harvy’s large family included his son and daughter, Anton and Armani, several grandchildren, numerous uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, and a close community of beloved friends.

He was a high school All-American in football, wrestling, and track at Farragut High School on Chicago's west side. Athletics, obviously, was another of his passions. He won a football scholarship to the University of Washington. School publicists were making plans to promote him for All-American honors in 1969, according to Sports Illustrated; however, that prospect ended when he fractured his ankle in spring training. 

In that third year playing for a coach he considered a racist, his passion for social justice overcame his passion for football. He was a leader in a mid-season walkout by several African American players and a coach over what they considered unfair treatment. Others in that walkout were later mollified and returned to the team, but not Harvy. Instead, he challenged the coach to a fight. Last year, this group, “The Five Who Dared,” were inducted into the Husky Hall of Fame “for their courage to put their football careers on the line and stand up for racial inequity,” Sports Illustrated reported. “Blanks was the ringleader, the loudest voice, the one who got your attention,” the magazine said.

His college football career behind him, Harvy had a tryout with the Denver Broncos, but didn't make the team. Decades later, Broncos' great and Hall of Famer, Floyd Little, remembered Harvy. “Unforgettable,” Floyd said, is another singular word that can be used to describe Harvy.

He went on to graduate, however, and later even earned a Master of Arts in Theatre Criticism from Cornell University. He turned his attention to another passion: stage acting. That interest was sparked years earlier by a high school field trip to a performance of “Aida” starring Leontyne Price. Harvy felt the calling. He spent years bouncing around the country, on any stage he could find, dedicated to perfecting his craft. That included being a part of the Denver Center Theatre Company. Between 1985 and 2011 he appeared in 37 plays there. Harvy appeared in all 10 of his beloved playwright August Wilson's plays depicting the African American experience in this country during the 20th Century, decade by decade. Fellow actor Kim Staunton, who appeared with him in six of those plays, said he was in the tribe dubbed “Wilson's Warriors.” Harvy finally made it to Broadway in 2017 appearing in the Tony Award winning production of Wilson's “Jitney.

Maybe Harvy’s happiest achievement was his long-time partnership and ultimate marriage to my daughter, Lara. I so loved being his father-in-law and one of his “best” friends. Years ago, in a moment of temporary insanity, I signed a note to him and Lara as from “tpapa” The “t” was for “the.” Ever since I was treated to Harvy's mellifluous voice calling me “tpapa.” I still hear his voice. I'll keep listening for it. So long old friend. Hope I'll see you again sometime, wherever.

tpapa (aka Jim Kirksey)