Percy Sutton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Percy Sutton is a civil rights activist, lawyer and entrepreneur.
Born November 24, 1920, Percy Sutton is a San Antonio, Texas native. Percy Sutton was the last of fifteen children. His parents Samuel and Lillian were both educators with his father being one of the first black in Bexar County. He also served as principal of three high schools. All of his siblings graduated from college. His brothers included G J Sutton (the first black elected official in San Antonio, Texas) and Oliver Sutton (judge on the New York Supreme Court).
He has been married to Leatrice Sutton since 1943.
Sutton attended and graduated from Prairie View A&M University, Tuskegee Institute and Hampton Institute. He went on to attend Brooklyn Law School. A skilled pilot during World War II, he served with the Tuskegee Airmen. He also won combat stars as an intelligence officer.
[edit] Legacy
During the 1950's and 1960's, Percy Sutton became one of American's best known lawyers. He represented many controversial figures such as Malcolm X and argued many cases.
Sutton has been a longtime leader in Harlem politics and is a leader of the Harlem Clubhouse. The Clubhouse has dominated Democratic politics in Harlem since the 1960s. His allies in running the Clubhouse are former Mayor David Dinkins, Congressman Charles Rangel, and former New York Secretary of State Basil Paterson.
Sutton ran for Borough president of the Borough of Manhattan in 1966, and won with 80% of the vote. He served in that post until 1977, when he ran for the Democratic nomination for Mayor of New York City against Congressman Ed Koch, New York Secretary of State Mario Cuomo, Mayor Abraham Beame, former Congresswoman Bella Abzug, and Congressman Herman Badillo. Koch won the nomination and mayoralty.
In 1971, Sutton cofounded the Inner City Broadcasting Corporation. His company purchased New York's WLIB-AM, which became the first black owned in the city. He initiated the revitalizing of the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem. He also produced the successful It's Showtime at the Apollo. He was awarded the Spingarn Medal in 1987.
Reference: The African American Registry
| Preceded by: Constance Baker Motley |
Borough President of Manhattan 1966 – 1977 |
Succeeded by: Andrew Stein |
