ST. PAUL, MN – In honor of Justice Alan C. Page, Governor Mark Dayton has proclaimed Monday, November 19, 2018, as “Justice Alan C. Page Day” in Minnesota. On Friday, November 16, 2018, the Hall of Fame Minnesota Vikings player and former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice received the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Justice Page will be recognized for this distinguished honor in Minnesota on Monday, November 19th at Justice Page Middle School in Minneapolis.

 

Justice Alan Page played for the Minnesota Vikings for 11 years and was a member of the famed “purple people eaters.” He helped lead the team to four conference titles, played in nine pro bowls, and was awarded MVP of the NFL in 1971. His NFL career culminated in his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, located in his hometown of Canton, Ohio.

 

While playing for the Minnesota Vikings, Justice Page began his legal career, and attended the University of Minnesota Law School, where he earned his Juris Doctor in 1978.  Justice Page became the first African-American person to serve on the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1992. He was re-elected to this seat in 1998, 2004, and 2010. Justice Page served with distinction before he retired from the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2015, upon reaching the mandatory judicial retirement age of 70. He remains one of the longest-serving Supreme Court Justices in Minnesota’s history;

 

Alan married Diane Sims Page in 1973, and the couple raised four children together, and later enjoyed spending time with their four grandchildren.

 

The Pages pursued their passion for bringing hope and opportunity to Minnesota students of color by establishing the Page Education Foundation in 1988. Under Alan and Diane’s leadership, the Page Education Foundation has awarded over $15 million in scholarships to over 7,000 Minnesota students of color who have demonstrated a positive attitude toward education and agreed to act as mentors for younger children in their communities. Page Scholars, as they are known, have positively impacted tens of thousands of Minnesota students by providing nearly 500,000 hours of volunteer service to 325 community organizations and schools across the state.

 

To read Governor Dayton’s full proclamation, CLICK HERE.