LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of Dennis Holt, reporter,
author 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, Dennis Holt died on Thursday, June 7, 2012, at the age of 77;
and
WHEREAS, Dennis Holt was born December 7, 1934, in Wichita, Kansas,
moving around the country with his family several times while growing
up, first to Indiana and finally Alabama; and
WHEREAS, While an undergraduate student leader at the University of
Alabama in the 1950s, he was active in the fight to integrate the
university; and
WHEREAS, After Dennis Holt married, he and his new bride Susan Holt
moved from Manhattan to Boerum Hill in 1971; and
WHEREAS, At the time, Dennis Holt was a public affairs executive in
New York for Union Carbide, the same company for which his father
worked; and
WHEREAS, When Union Carbide moved to Connecticut in the mid-1980s,
Dennis Holt tried commuting, but decided to leave the company after a
year; in the meantime, he had become active in his community, serving as
president of the Boerum Hill Association in 1974; and
WHEREAS, After leaving Union Carbide, Dennis Holt held several short-
term public relations assignments; and
WHEREAS, Michael Armstrong, publisher of the Brooklyn Phoenix newspa-
per in the 1980s, eventually offered Dennis Holt a position as a writer,
then as a features editor; he would go to work for the newspaper on and
off for a period of six months or a year; and
WHEREAS, Dennis Holt distinguished himself in his profession and by
his sincere dedication and substantial contribution to the welfare of
his community; and
WHEREAS, As features editor, Dennis Holt orchestrated the arts cover-
age, covering the Brooklyn Museum, BAM and other institutions, and
winning the publication 20 to 30 awards; and
WHEREAS, From 1989 to 1993, Dennis Holt served as chief of staff for
Representative Steve Solarz; and
WHEREAS, In 1994, Dennis Holt went to work for the Brooklyn Daily
Bulletin, which later merged with the revived Brooklyn Eagle; at first,
his role was that of a reporter, but after several years, while he
continued to write stories, he began to focus increasingly on his
"Brooklyn Broadside" column; and
WHEREAS, The "Brooklyn Broadside" column tackled local, national and
state issues, occasionally mixed with personal reminiscences; Dennis
Holt was deeply interested in the planning and development of what was
called the Brooklyn Renaissance, but that ultimately was dubbed "the new
Brooklyn"; and
WHEREAS, Dennis Holt's commitment to excellence, and his spirit of
humanity, carried over into all fields of enterprise, including charita-
ble and civic endeavors; and
WHEREAS, Dennis Holt is survived by his wife, Susan; his son, Matthew
Holt; his daughter, Deborah Taylor; and two grandsons, Graham and Coop-
er; and
WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of
compassion, Dennis Holt 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 Dennis Holt, longtime civic activist, reporter and
author; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Dennis Holt.