[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9712]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING VONNY HILTON SWEENEY

  (Ms. WATSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I want to pay tribute to someone who has 
made celebrities while she stayed in the background. Her name is Vonny 
Hilton Sweeney.
  She set high goals and obtained one of the most prestigious 
achievements by becoming the first black majorette while attending 
Brownsville High School in Pennsylvania. She was married to Howard 
James Sweeney and had one son. She worked at a community hospital in 
north Sacramento and received a B.A. in English and journalism from 
Sacramento State University. She was a contributing editor for the 
Sacramento Observer.
  She moved to Los Angeles in 1966 to pursue her career in the 
entertainment industry where she was promotion coordinator for Sussex 
Records, vice president of promotion and publicity for Hugh Hefner's 
Playboy Records Company, and received her first gold record for the hit 
single ``Falling In Love'' recorded by Hamilton Joe-Frank and Reynolds. 
She was also a publicist for Janet DuBois and one of the first female 
managers for such acts.
  She was the public directions director for over 25 years for James 
Brown entertainment including current editor of his Truth Magazine. As 
an icon in the James Brown organization, she was personally responsible 
for showcase venues worldwide, his biggest fan, as well as the dearest 
friend over many decades. In 1992, 1993 and 1994 she was listed in the 
``Who's Who'' of entertainment.
  As a mentor, one of her attributes was to become involved with other 
people's lives, and was instrumental in helping individuals achieve and 
reach their dreams. Her goal in life was to pursue the dreams and goals 
of others through her dedication and guidance in all aspects of the 
entertainment industry.
  Vonny Hilton Sweeney was preceded in death by her loving parents 
James and Anna Rea Hilton and her brother James Thompson. She is 
survived by her son Howard James Sweeney, wife Jennifer, and 
granddaughter Jade Sweeney and step-grandson Justin McCarthy, brother 
Walter Thompson, his wife Jerri, sister Rose Alma King, sister Barbara 
Hilton Brown, her husband John L. plus numerous nieces, nephews and 
many friends.

{time}  1930

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