[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 74 (Thursday, May 14, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1155]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO FRANKIE MANNING

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 14, 2009

  Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a giant of 
the Queens arts community--Frankie Manning, who passed away on April 
27, 2009 at the age of 94.
  Frankie Manning, the self-described ``Ambassador of the Lindy Hop,'' 
was an icon of the jazz dancing era. From the start of his career in 
the 1930s, Frankie was one of jazz dance's most elite dancers, becoming 
a fixture at venues like the Savoy Ballroom and the Cotton Club.
  As Frankie became the face of the Lindy hop, he took his signature 
style on tours through Europe and South America, to the New York 
World's Fair, and to Hollywood, where his impressive performances 
graced a number of Hollywood films.
  Never one to overlook service to his country, Frankie also served in 
the Army during World War II, serving in the Pacific theater. After 
years of professional dancing, Frankie also began work for the Postal 
Service in 1955.
  Where most of us see retirement as a chance to relax, Frankie did the 
opposite, turning his retirement into a whirlwind of choreographing and 
teaching, as he helped bring the Lindy hop back into the national 
consciousness.
  He received a Tony award for his Broadway choreography in 1989, and 
returned to Hollywood to train actor Denzel Washington on the Lindy in 
the film ``Malcolm X.'' In 2000, Frankie was awarded a National 
Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
  Frankie will always be remembered as someone who never lost his love 
for dancing as he got older. In fact, in just a few weeks he was to 
celebrate his 95th birthday with a five-day festival and the premiere 
of a documentary on his life of dance. This event, now scheduled as a 
memorial, shows just how much spirit Frankie brought to his life and 
his dancing.
  My condolences go out to Frankie's family, the dancers he worked with 
throughout his career, and to his many fans around the world. He 
brought so much life to the world of jazz dance, and the same energy 
and charisma to all his endeavors. Frankie Manning will certainly be 
missed, but I am confident that his spirit will live on.

                          ____________________