[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 43 (Thursday, March 13, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E391]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING LOUVENIA POINTER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS-

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 13, 2008

  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Louvinia G. 
Pointer who enjoyed a successful career on the Broadway stage. When 
Noel Coward heard Louvinia's voice, he wrote a part for her to sing in 
his musical, ``Set To Music,'' starring Beatrice Lillie. After that, 
she appeared with Alfred Lunt and Lynne Fontaine on Broadway in ``The 
Pirate.'' Highly esteemed among her peers as a singer, teacher and 
choral conductor, her fulfilling career includes work with some of the 
country's outstanding teachers including Rosalie Miller, Samuel 
Margolis, Sarah Lee, Modena Scoval, and her long-time friend, coach and 
accompanist, the late Sylvia Olden Lee.
  Louvinia's exceptional work as choral director of the National Youth 
Administration Radio Workshop won praise from notables such as Harry T. 
Burleigh, Fritz Mahler, Robert Hufstadder, Hall Johnson, Eleanor 
Roosevelt and Mary McLeod Bethune. Mrs. Pointer took her love of music 
to the New York City School system, where for many years, she was 
privileged to share her love of music and teaching gifts with the 
children of New York City. She taught in Public School 21, Lefferts 
Junior High School, Girls High and Tilden High Schools. During her 26 
years teaching, she received numerous awards for her outstanding work.
  Now retired, Mrs. Pointer is committed to the revival and 
preservation of the ``Nego Spiritual.'' Her dream of establishing an 
organization to preserve the Negro Spiritual became a reality in 1987 
when the Great Day Chorale was formed. Now in its twentieth season, the 
group, through the positive messages of these songs, has been an 
inspiration to listeners everywhere.
  In 1994, Mrs. Pointer was chosen to take part in the Crown Heights 
Project, which was a collaboration of the Brooklyn Children's Museum, 
the Historical Society and the Society for the Preservation of 
Weeksville and Bedford-Stuyvesant History. Among her many awards, she 
received citations from the Honorable Howard Golden, former Borough 
President and the present Borough President, Marty Markowitz. Louvinia 
has been awarded for her work with Brooklyn-based arts organizations, 
including Celebrate Brooklyn, BACA, Welcome Back to Brooklyn, the 
Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Philharmonic 
Orchestra, and as a member of the board of the Brooklyn Music School.
  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to honor Louvinia G. Pointer for her 
remarkable achievements and luminous career in the musical arts. She 
has directed two albums and even arranged the song, In the Garden by 
Bob Dylan on his album ``Gotta Serve Somebody.''

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