The Impassioned Life of an Evolutionist
Percy Ellis Sutton, 1920-2009
Percy E. Sutton
It seems that nearly everyone in New York has a Percy Sutton story. Mine goes back more than 20 years. A group of students from the University of California at Berkeley made a trip to New York City during a school break and had become smitten with Harlem. Of course, they had heard of the legendary Apollo Theater and were familiar with the weekly television program “Showtime at the Apollo.” I called Percy Sutton’s office, asking an aide if she could recommend someone who might provide a tour for the group of Mr. Sutton’s young fraternity brothers. Within minutes, the chairman— as I and many others called him – came on the line, insisting that it wouldn’t do for anyone other than he himself to provide the tour for these young members of Kappa Alpha Psi.
The next day, there was Percy Ellis Sutton, parading a half dozen young men through every inch of the famed theater, from the stage and dressing rooms through the hallways adorned with the photographs of the famous entertainers who had played the theater’s stage. Mr. Sutton’s acquisition of the landmark theater was fresh at that time, and he played the role of the proud father. But of all the points of interest, he seemed to take particular pride in the newly refurbished, elegant restrooms. Pointing to the exquisite fixtures, he said that a spectacular public restroom was a crucial part of his vision for the theater. “It’s important for people to come in here, right here in Harlem, and feel they are in a place that offers them the best,” he said. “I want people to come here and feel like they are somebody.”
It was vintage Percy Sutton. His was a blend of elegance with the common touch and a passion for the everyman and everywoman. Of course, there has been much in the way of public tribute to the chairman – one of New York City’s most prominent business and political figures — since his recent death at the age of 89, with accolades coming from all quarters, from President Obama to the brothers in barber shops in Harlem. He has been lauded as the passionate civil rights lawyer who represented Malcolm X, as the longest serving Manhattan Borough President, as a history-making candidate for mayor in 1977. He was well known as the purchaser and restorer of the vintage Apollo Theater, the broadcast pioneer who was the founding chairman of the Inner City Broadcasting Company. He was also the elder statesman in a group of Harlem politicians who were known as the “Gang of Four.” It was a group that included David N. Dinkins, New York City’s first African-American mayor; Basil A. Paterson, the labor lawyer and former New York secretary of state; and Charles B. Rangel, the United States Congressman.
But none of that quite captures the passion of Percy Sutton, which was anchored in a desire to enhance the dignity of his fellow African American brothers and sisters (he would always use those salutations in addressing people). The tour, and his insistence that he conduct it personally, was an indication of his hands-on commitment to the generations that would come after him. Certainly anyone in his office could well have walked the students through the theater. Percy Sutton was, after all, a renowned businessman constantly working on deals to expand his broadcasting empire. But Mr. Sutton looked at it as an opportunity to connect with his young brothers, to share his own history and that of the theater – and the community of Harlem – that he loved so fervently.
The characteristic that I admired so much about Percy Sutton was his ability to take on new challenges and, indeed, new careers, as he moved from one period of his life to the next. He seemed always to evolve from embracing one professional zeal to the next. He went from lawyer to legislator in Albany to the borough presidency. When he lost the Democratic nomination for mayor in 1977, he plunged forthrightly into broadcasting, becoming a major spokesman for the need for black ownership in radio. I recall speaking with him over dinner when he was in his 80s, where he even talked about his desire to spend more time writing poetry– and even writing rap lyrics.
Yet, no matter how forward looking he was, he never seemed to forget his roots steeped in a devotion to civil rights that he inherited from his father in his native Texas. It was a history that led him to get arrested in the Freedom Rides of Alabama and Mississippi in the 1960s. It also fueled his desire, at the age of 80, to get arrested in a protest to raise awareness about the death of Amadou Diallo, an unarmed immigrant from Guinea who was shot to death by New York City police officer in the vestibule of his Bronx home.
He had sternness, cloaked in a veneer that was utterly debonair. Mr. Sutton said that when it came to matters related to civil rights and race relations, he considered himself an “evolutionist, rather than a revolutionist.” It was critical, he said “to keep the lines of communication open with those with whom you disagree.”
By Jonathan P. Hicks
Jonathan:
Thank you for sharing your story on The Honorable Percy E. Sutton. Mr. Sutton touched many lives and generated a multitude of stories that we can learn from and grow. He epitomized true charismatic leadership that has helped transform this nation.
I had the good fortune of meeting Percy Sutton in 1974 when he was seeking membership in Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. I was initially apprehensive about his motives for joining Kappa at this juncture of his life. After meeting and talking with Mr. Sutton I could sense that “blend of elegance with the common touch and a passion for everyman and women” that you so eloquently described. I was convinced that Mr. Sutton would commit to achievement regardless of the path he chose to travel.
Several years would pass and time would test the common denominator we shared. In February, 1998 the Black Action Committee (BAC) at Colgate Palmolive decided to dedicate its Black History Month Celebration to the late Dr. Betty Shabazz. As a co-chairman and co-founder of the BAC I immediately thought of my Kappa brother, Percy Sutton. On behalf of the BAC, I sent him a personal invitation requesting his participation in our tribute. Almost 15 years had passed since our initial meeting yet within a few days of sending my letter I received a personal call from Brother Sutton stating that he would be honored to participate in our Black History Month program.
Needless to say the committee was ecstatic. The theme for the program was “Excellence, Believe In It”. The topic we requested Mr. Sutton to address revolved around the “Entrepreneurial Spirit”, as his accomplishments in the business arena were truly remarkable. During his discussion, he candidly shared his experiences as a Black man trying to do business in an environment that was mostly unfriendly and, in many instances, hostile to his endeavors. He talked about all the hard work and sacrifices he made in order to achieve his life’s goals and the value of education in making those dreams a reality. He often used humor into his dialogue and shared a story of his riding on the subway, falling asleep and missing his stop because he was exhausted from his academic studies. This scenario may not be humorous or uncommon unless you were the conductor as he was. Mr. Sutton cleverly infused these kinds of stories to remind us that failures were an integral part of success.
Mr. Sutton’s participation in our program was more than words of encouragement to African Americans who dedicated their lunch hour to support this event. His presence also sent as a resounding message to senior management of this global organization that its Black employees were committed to achieving our mission of developing an environment where “Blacks have an equal opportunity to participate at all levels of the decision making process”, an “evolutionist” process that can be achieved by “keep(ing) the lines of communication open with whom you disagree.”
Jonathan:
Thank you for sharing your story on The Honorable Percy E. Sutton. Mr. Sutton touched many lives and generated a multitude of stories that we can learn from and grow. He epitomized true charismatic leadership that has helped transform this nation.
I had the good fortune of meeting Percy Sutton in 1974 when he was seeking membership in Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. I was initially apprehensive about his motives for joining Kappa at this juncture of his life. After meeting and talking with Mr. Sutton I could sense that “blend of elegance with the common touch and a passion for everyman and women” that you so eloquently described. I was convinced that Mr. Sutton would commit to achievement regardless of the path he chose to travel.
Several years would pass and time would test the common denominator we shared. In February, 1998 the Black Action Committee (BAC) at Colgate Palmolive decided to dedicate its Black History Month Celebration to the late Dr. Betty Shabazz. As a co-chairman and co-founder of the BAC I immediately thought of my Kappa brother, Percy Sutton. On behalf of the BAC, I sent him a personal invitation requesting his participation in our tribute. Almost 15 years had passed since our initial meeting yet within a few days of sending my letter I received a personal call from Brother Sutton stating that he would be honored to participate in our Black History Month program.
Needless to say the committee was ecstatic. The theme for the program was “Excellence, Believe In It”. The topic we requested Mr. Sutton to address revolved around the “Entrepreneurial Spirit”, as his accomplishments in the business arena were truly remarkable. During his discussion, he candidly shared his experiences as a Black man trying to do business in an environment that was mostly unfriendly and, in many instances, hostile to his endeavors. He talked about all the hard work and sacrifices he made in order to achieve his life’s goals and the value of education in making those dreams a reality. He often used humor in his dialogue and shared a story of his riding on the subway, falling asleep and missing his stop because he was exhausted from his academic studies. This scenario may not be humorous or uncommon unless you were the conductor as he was. Mr. Sutton cleverly infused these kinds of stories to remind us that failures were an integral part of success.
Mr. Sutton’s participation in our program was more than words of encouragement to African Americans who dedicated their lunch hour to support this event. His presence also sent as a resounding message to senior management of this global organization that its Black employees were committed to achieving our mission of developing an environment where “Blacks have an equal opportunity to participate at all levels of the decision making process”, an “evolutionist” process that can be achieved by “keep(ing) the lines of communication open with whom you disagree.”
Respectfully,
Malcolm W. Bryan