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LIONEL HAMPTON DEDICATES GLADYS HAMPTON HOUSES IN THE MEMORY OF LATE WIFE

If one man's energy and personal dedication to the survival of a community and its residents has ever been more evident, then it has to be the contributions legendary jazz great Lionel Hampton has made to Harlem, which got a little coser to his goal to help reshape the face of the historic community with a major multi-million dollar urban renewal program with dedication ceremonies today (7th) for the Gladys Hampton Houses, named after the famed entertainer's late wife.

A host of Federal, State and City officials, religious leaders, foreign dignitaries and residents of Harlem, joined in the festive ceremonies, which started off with a parade through the streets near the Gladys Hampton Houses, climaxing with Manhattan Borough President Andrew Stein proclaiming it to be Gladys Hampton Day.

Participants in the parade, which started on 144th Street and Eighth Avenue in Harlem, then proceeded down to the Gladys Hampton Houses before swinging around to St. Nicholas Avenue and back up past the honored guests waiting in the review stands set up on 129th Street facing St. Nicholas Avenue, including the following groups: The New York City Housing Drum & Bugle Corps; Medina Temple Drum and Bugle Corps; Central Harlem Drum & Bugle Corp.; Central Harlem Cadet Corps; a contingent from the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America; Warriors Drum and Bugle Corps; City Mission Cadet Corps; Naval Cadet Corps; and a motorcade featuring Miss Black Teenage New York City and Miss Black News York State, among others.

A special entertainment program for the honored guests, community residents, etc., starred the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Addicts Rehabilitation Gospel Group, Dance Theatre of Harlem and opened with a surprise performance by singer Arthur Prysock and musical renditions by the Steel Band.

After Andrew Sein read the proclamation declaring it to be Gladys Hampton Day in Manhattan, Mr. Hampton officially cut the ribbon, assisted by other dignitaries, and watched as a corner stone inscribed with his words "God game me the talent, Gladys gave me the inspiration", was put into place, dedicating the Gladys Hampton Houses in loving memory to the jazzman's late wife.

Honorary co-chairpersons for the affair were Ms. Audrey Smaltz and Mr. Dick Gidron, while Congressman Charles Rangel served as parade Grand Marshal.

The Gladys Hampton Houses is  part of a continuing program Mr. Hampton has for the Harlem community in the area of urban renewal, which will include other much-needed housing projects and the dream he has to build a university.

"What Harlem needs is some new vitality and it's not an impossible dream, but a conscious reality that will give the community home," he says.

IT WAS A GREAT DAY FOR HARLEM
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