MAYOR GIULIANI PROCLAIMS "HARLEM WEEK": SALUTES 23 YEARS OF HARLEM WEEK FESTIVAL
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today proclaimed August 1st through August 17th "Harlem Week" at an event in the Board of Estimate Chamber in City Hall ceremony celebration. The Uptown Goes Downtown event kicked off the 23rd annual Harlem Week Festival with an outdoor concert immediately following the proclamation presentation.
"Today I am honored to present a proclamation declaring August 1st through 8th Harlem Week in New York City," said the Mayor. "Harlem week is a time for the entire City to recognize the vital contributions that the Harlem Community has made to our history and culture, and really to the history and culture of the nation as a whole.
"This year, as the city turns 100, the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce turns 101 years old," continued the Mayor. "Through the years, Harlem has been an integral part of our history -- culturally, economically and politically. Today we are experiencing a very exciting time in Harlem's history. Business growth is on the rise, crime is down, the streets are cleaner, and there's a real sense of optimism in the air. This resurgence is the result of the hard work and cooperation of so many people over so many years -- investors, non-profit organizations, business owners and most area residents and as we celebrate Harlem's proud past, we also look to the future with real hope.
Harlem Week will feature a series of concerts and events throughout the parks, streets, schools and cultural institutions of Harlem. The theme which will be demonstrated in this year's events is "The New Millennium: Technology + Information + Communications + Opportunities = Power."
The Annual Harlem Week Festival was started 23 years ago by the Uptown Chamber of Commerce, now the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, in an effort to revitalize the Harlem community whose economic and cultural foundations were beginning to deteriorate. In order to reverse this trend, a group of Harlemites, including Lloyd Williams, President of the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, created Harlem Week to celebrate the tremendous history, culture, and wealth of the community.
Events for this years festival include Senior Citizens Day (Elder's Jubilee), saluting senior citizens and their contributions to society; Inspirational Sunday, staging a line-up composed primarily of Harlem gospel artists; the Harlem Week family Circus; the Harlem Week Black Film Festival; a "Taste of Harlem", showcasing the food of Harlem; the Annual New York City Business and Economic Development Conference; and the Apollo Theater Classic Series, giving tribute to the late Dr. Betty Shabazz.
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