[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5175]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF HARLEM'S ICON, BROTHER CLAUDE A. SHARRIEFF 
 FRAZIER, FONDLY KNOWN AS CHIEF FISCAL OFFICER OF WINDOWS OVER HARLEM 
         AND THE HOST OF NEWS & VIEWS AT 9:30 A.M., WPAT RADIO

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 25, 2010

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise with the utmost humility, respect 
and admiration as I pay tribute to my dear friend, Brother Claude A. 
Sharrieff Frazier. As I speak with pride and honor for my friend 
Sharrieff, I ask us all to celebrate a life that was lived to the 
fullest and also to remember his love for life and community 
involvement and all the remarkable contributions he made to Harlem.
  Claude Sharrieff Frazier, a veteran of World War II, a scholar, and 
one of Harlem's devoted townsmen and radio personalities, was born in 
Harlem, New York on December 13, 1925. He was raised from infancy by 
his grandmother, a native of Jamaica, a stern disciplinarian and a 
member of the historic St. Philip's Church at 134th Street in Harlem 
and also by his grandfather who was a respected elder of St. Mark's 
United Methodist Church. He was reared and obtained his primary and 
secondary education in Harlem. He spent most of his childhood and 
adolescent years in St. Philip's learning about history and culture 
from the priests, curates, deacons, and lay readers. In the early 
1960's, he visited Mosque No. 7 and shortly thereafter accepted the 
teaching and leadership of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
  Brother Claude Sharrieff, a well known Harlem icon served his Nation 
during World War II at the age of 16 with the mighty 784th Black 
Battalion Tank Unit. Proud and active, Claude dedicated his life-work 
to celebrating and supporting the contributions and sacrifices made by 
Black Veterans of all wars. He was a life member of the fighting 369th 
Harlem Hellfighters, the Colonel Charles Young American Legion Post 398 
and the 784th Tank Battalion Association, Inc., to name just a few. I 
always look forward to participating in his regular annual salute to 
veterans that occurs each and every year at his beloved Windows Over 
Harlem Restaurant and Catering establishment.
  Upon his return after World War II, Claude enrolled in and eventually 
graduated from College of New Rochelle with a Bachelor's in Arts in 
Social Science degree. He went on to hold the position of Deputy 
Director for the Institute for Mediation and Conflict Resolution, 
eventually also earning a Paralegal Certificate from Bronx Community 
College in 1987.
  Claude loved his beloved Harlem and contributed greatly to many 
important historic episodes of this world renowned community. From the 
early days of the struggle for the right to own and work in businesses 
along 125th Street to the rise of Black Nationalism and Islam, Claude 
Sharrieff bore witness and stood on the front line. So proud of his 
military achievements and African heritage, Claude's discipline led him 
to Mosque No. 7 and the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. As 
a servant of Allah, he was so proud when he was able to bring Windows 
Over Harlem to the community of Harlem, especially housed in the 
building of his beloved idol and close friend, Congressman Adam Clayton 
Powell, Jr. Sharrieff also rendered bookkeeping and tax services to 
small businesses in the Harlem community.
  Windows became an international gathering place where he catered to 
many luminaries, entertainers and personalities like me. He also used 
Windows to host News & Views at 9:30 a.m. on WPAT Radio, for 11 years, 
keeping the community informed by tackling issues that affected New 
York City as a whole and Harlem in particular. Claude used Window's to 
embrace the entire African Diaspora from the Middle East, North, West, 
Central and southern regions of the continent to the shores of our 
great Nation. His Windows Over Harlem bridged and united communities 
from West Africa to Asia, becoming a place where you could express who 
you are, where you come from and gain employment.
  Sharrieff spent the last years of his life as the Chief Fiscal 
Officer for Windows Over Harlem Restaurant and Catering. Windows Over 
Harlem was his dream come true as it allowed him to serve and cater to 
the people of Harlem, in the spirit of his great idol and close 
personal friend. Sharrieff would sometimes say, ``We're doing what Adam 
would want to see done in Harlem.'' Even in hard times and doubting 
moments, he would remain unfazed, sidestepping worries with a simple, 
``I have a plan.''
  Claude Sharrieff Frazier was also an active member in the Harlem 
Republican Club, where he eventually became President, yet he never 
waivered in his support for me. On Friday, March 19th, 2010, Sharrieff 
was called home to Allah after a short illness. He will be remembered 
in a very special Harlem world salute on Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 
his grandfather's beloved landmark, St. Mark's United Methodist Church 
in Harlem.
  Madam Speaker. I consider myself fortunate to have had the 
opportunity to observe and experience his example as a personal 
inspiration. Though Sharrieff is no longer with us, his memory will 
remain alive in our hearts and minds behind a great written legacy 
summed up in his own words: ``Freedom of Spirit and the interaction 
with humanity remain my focus in life. I love the history of our 
ancestors for their sacrifices and the contributions that they made 
towards the growth and development of America, even during slavery and 
unto this day.''
  We are all blessed to have known Claude A. Sharrieff Frazier, a titan 
of a man who gave us all life.

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