LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of Gil Noble, distinguished
citizen and devoted member of his community

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavor
served to enhance the quality of life in their communities and the great
State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Gil Noble died on Thursday, April 5, 2012, at the age of 80;
and
WHEREAS, Gil Noble distinguished himself in his profession and by his
sincere dedication and substantial contribution to the welfare of his
community; and
WHEREAS, A courageous and passionate television broadcaster, Gil Noble
was the producer and host of New York City television station WABC-TV's
weekly talk show, "Like It Is"; the program focused primarily on issues
concerning African Americans and those within the African Diaspora; and
WHEREAS, Gil Noble was born on February 22, 1932, in Harlem, New York,
and raised by Jamaican immigrants, Gilbert and Iris Noble; after gradu-
ating from the City College of New York, he worked for Union Carbide;
and
WHEREAS, In 1962, Gil Noble got his professional break into broadcast
media when he was hired as a part-time announcer at WLIB 1190AM radio;
and
WHEREAS, Gil Noble then joined WABC in July of 1967 as a reporter
during the Newark Riots; in January of 1968, he became an anchor of its
Saturday and Sunday night newscasts; and
WHEREAS, Later that same year, "Like It Is" began its broadcast with
Robert Hooks as its host and Gil Noble as its co-host; and
WHEREAS, In November of 1968, WABC rebranded its newscasts as "Eyewit-
ness News" and Gil Noble was simultaneously an occasional interviewer on
some of WABC's other public affairs shows, such as "Eyewitness Exclu-
sive"; and
WHEREAS, Gil Noble succeeded Robert Hooks in late 1968, and co-hosted
the landmark show "Like It Is" with a number of journalists including
Melba Tolliver and Geraldo Rivera; and
WHEREAS, After a few years of independently hosting "Like It Is," Gil
Noble also became its producer in 1975; and
WHEREAS, Over the years, Gil Noble interviewed many prominent figures
in our society, including the following heads of state: Sekou Ture
(Guinea), Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe), Julius Nyerere (Tanzania), Michael
Manley and P.J. Patterson (Jamaica), Maurice Bishop (Grenada), Sam Nujo-
ma (Namibia), Kenneth Kaunda (Zambia), and Thomas Sankara (Burkina
Faso); and
WHEREAS, In entertainment, Gil Noble's interviews have included Bill
Cosby, Bob Marley, Erroll Garner, Sarah Vaughan, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dizzy
Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Carmen McRae, Aretha Franklin, Nancy Wilson,
Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Nipsey Russell, Lena Horne, Wynton
Marsalis, Milt Jackson, and Jackie McLean; and
WHEREAS, In sports, Gil Noble has interviewed Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray
Leonard, Arthur Ashe, and Jim Brown; he has interviewed such political
figures as: Jesse Jackson, David Dinkins, Harold Washington, Hon. Min.
Louis Farrakhan, Andrew Young, Stokely Carmichael (Kwame Ture), Adam
Clayton Powell, Jr., Councilman Charles Barron, and Bruce Wright; and
WHEREAS, In education, advocates such as Professor Leonard Jeffries
and Dr. Adelaide Sanford were not only guests of Gil Noble's show, but
were among some of his longtime friends; and

WHEREAS, In 1977, Gil Noble wrote, directed and produced the first
documentary on Paul Robeson, entitled "The Tallest Tree in Our Forest";
and
WHEREAS, In 1981, Gil Noble told his own story via his memoir, BLACK
IS THE COLOR OF MY TV TUBE (first edition); and
WHEREAS, Gil Noble has also done documentaries profiling W. E. B. Du
Bois, Malcolm X, Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Jack Johnson, and Charlie Parker; and
WHEREAS, Gil Noble's "Essay on Drugs" stands as a groundbreaking docu-
mentary with a candid look inside the drug world via its users; and
WHEREAS, A longtime advocate of the arts, Gil Noble was a supporter of
The Jazz Foundation of America, hosting the 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and
2007 "A Great Night in Harlem" Concert/Benefit for The Jazz Foundation
to support The Musicians Emergency Fund; he also served as a member of
its Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, Gil Noble's commitment to excellence, and his spirit of
humanity, carried over into all fields of enterprise, including charita-
ble and civic endeavors; and
WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of
compassion, Gil Noble leaves behind a legacy which will long endure the
passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all he served
and befriended; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Gil Noble, distinguished citizen and devoted member
of his community; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Gil Noble.