LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Judith Jamison upon the occasion of her
designation for special recognition by The Links Incorporated

WHEREAS, It is the practice of this Legislative Body to take note of and
publicly acknowledge individuals of remarkable integrity and character
who have inspired and brought pride to our majestic Empire State with
their strong contributions to the community and model citizenship; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Judith Jamison
upon the occasion of her designation for special recognition by The
Links Incorporated at its 60th Annual Easter Luncheon and Fashion Show
on Saturday, April 11, 2009, in New York City; and
WHEREAS, The Links Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit
corporation, established in 1946; the membership consists of 12,000
professional women of color in 270 chapters located in 42 states, the
District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas; it is one of
the nation's oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of
extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and
ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and
other persons of African ancestry; and
WHEREAS, Judith Jamison was appointed Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey
American Dance Theater in December of 1989 at the request of her mentor,
Alvin Ailey, who personally chose her to succeed him before his untimely
death; a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Judith Jamison studied
with Marion Cuyjet, was discovered by Agnes de Mille and made her New
York debut with American Ballet Theatre in 1964; and
WHEREAS, Judith Jamison became a member of the Alvin Ailey American
Dance Theater in 1965 and danced with the company for 15 years to great
acclaim; recognizing her extraordinary talent, Mr. Ailey created some of
his most enduring roles for her, most notably the tour de force solo,
Cry; and
WHEREAS, After leaving the Company in 1980, Judith Jamison appeared as
a guest artist with ballet companies all over the world and starred in
the hit Broadway musical "Sophisticated Ladies"; in 1988, she formed her
own company, The Jamison Project; and a PBS special depicting her crea-
tive process, "Judith Jamison: The Dancemaker", aired nationally the
same year; and
WHEREAS, As a highly regarded choreographer, Judith Jamison has
created works for many companies; her most recent ballet, 'Reminiscin',
was inspired by great female jazz artists and Edward Hopper's famous
painting Nighthawks; Love Stories, with additional choreography by
Robert Battle and Rennie Harris, was created in 2004; and
WHEREAS, Judith Jamison is an author whose autobiography, DANCING
SPIRIT, was edited by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and published by
Doubleday in 1993; she is the recipient of many awards and honorary
degrees, including a prime time Emmy Award and an American Choreography
Award for Outstanding Choreography in the PBS "Great Performances: Dance
In America" special, A Hymn for Alvin Ailey, and an honorary doctorate
from Howard University; and
WHEREAS, In December of 1999, Judith Jamison was presented with the
Kennedy Center Honor, recognizing her lifetime contributions to American
culture through the performing arts; in 2001, she received the Algur H.
Meadows Award from Southern Methodist University and was presented with
a National Medal of Arts, the most prestigious award presented to
artists in the United States; and
WHEREAS, In 2003, Judith Jamison received the "Making a Difference"
Award by the NAACP ACT-SO; in 2004, she received the Paul Robeson award
from the Actors' Equity Association in recognition of her outstanding

contribution to the performing arts and commitment to the right of all
people to live in dignity and peace; and
WHEREAS, Today, Judith Jamison presides over a renewed Ailey organiza-
tion, artistically and fiscally invigorated; her presence has been a
catalyst, propelling the organization in new directions, the development
of the Women's Choreography Initiative; performances at the 1996 Atlanta
Olympic Games and the 2002 Cultural Olympiad in Salt Lake City where she
carried the Olympic torch during the relay prior to the opening ceremo-
nies, and two unprecedented engagements in South Africa; and
WHEREAS, Most recently, Judith Jamison led the Company to historic
performances at the 2005 White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg,
Russia, and the 2006 Les etes de la danse de Paris festival in Paris,
France; she has continued Mr. Ailey's practice of showcasing the talents
of emerging choreographers from within the ranks of the Company; as
Artistic Director of The Ailey School, the official school of the Alvin
Ailey American Dance Theater, she has helped to implement a multicul-
tural curriculum including the dances of West Africa and South India;
and
WHEREAS, Judith Jamison is an advocate for education in the arts and
was a guiding force in establishing the B.F.A. program with The Ailey
School and Fordham University, which offers a unique combination of
world-class dance training and a superior liberal arts education; and
WHEREAS, Following the tradition of Alvin Ailey, Judith Jamison is
dedicated to asserting the prominence of the arts in our culture, spear-
heading initiatives to bring dance into the community and programs that
introduce children to the arts; she remains committed to promoting the
significance of the Ailey legacy--dance as a medium for honoring the
past, celebrating the present and fearlessly reaching into the future;
and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the well-being and vitality of their community and have shown a
long and sustained commitment to excellence certainly have earned our
recognition and applause; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Judith Jamison upon the occasion of her designation for special
recognition by The Links Incorporated; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Judith Jamison.