Background
Blau was born in Brooklyn, New New York
Blau was born in Brooklyn, New New York
He attended Columbia University, where he studied under Salo Wittmayer Baron. He earned his bachelor"s degree in 1931, his master"s in 1933, and his Doctor of Philosophy in 1944, all from Columbia.
Blau taught at Columbia from 1944-1977 and was chair of its Department of Religion from 1968-1977. Blau was one of the signers of A Secular Humanist Declaration in 1980. He was also one of the signers of the Humanist Manifesto.
He died in 1986 in Riverdale, New New York
He was a foreign member of the British Academy.