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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 554-09
December 27, 2009

STATEMENT OF MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ON THE DEATH OF FORMER MANHATTAN BOROUGH PRESIDENT PERCY E. SUTTON

"New York has always been a city of trailblazers, but few have opened more doors for more people than Percy Sutton did. From his service to our nation in WWII, to serving our City in Albany as an Assemblyman and as the first African American and longest-serving president of the borough of Manhattan, he not only lived the civil rights movement, he shaped it and played a key role in ensuring its success. As Borough President, Percy opened up the door to many students to attend City University. He was in the forefront of black entrepreneurship, which created ownership of media companies by blacks, and the first black-owned radio station in New York City. It's hard to capture in just a few words how important Percy's contributions were - and just how unique an individual he was. He helped move African Americans, and all of New York forward. Personally, I consider myself lucky to be among the many to whom he gave advice.

"Starting tomorrow, flags at all New York City government buildings will be lowered in his honor, and I ask all New Yorkers to keep his widow, Leatrice, his son Pierre, daughter Cheryl Lynn, and the rest of his family in their thoughts and prayers."







MEDIA CONTACT:


Stu Loeser   (212) 788-2958




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