[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 116-117]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       IN HONOR OF DOLORES EATON

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 6, 2016

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life, legacy, 
and work of Dolores Eaton; who was a well known resident of Harlem. 
Dolores was not only a beloved Mother and Grandmother but she was also 
an artist, activist, and a longtime community figure.
  It is well known to those in good spirit that sunrises are filled 
with color and beauty; they light up and bring warmth to the land. 
There cannot be a more accurate description of Dolores Eaton that 
captures the life she lived.
  Dolores was born in Harlem, New York to Mrs. Rovena Hodge and Edward 
Rubin. Dolores, who was an only child, was raised with her two first 
cousins Mattie and Madeline and was lovingly nurtured by her Aunt Naomi 
and Cousin Lottie. True to the old custom of Black Families who 
supported their transitioning family members from the south to the 
north; they all lived together in Harlem. The family roots hailed from 
Sumter, South Carolina, which is not only the birthplace of this 
magnificent family but is also unfortunately known as the home of the 
Ku Klux Klan, and where the Civil War began.
  Dolores was baptized at Mount Zion Lutheran Church under the 
leadership of the founders, Pastor and Mrs. Clemonce Sabourin. She also 
attended the church's famous School on the Hill, which sits across from 
the historic Convent Avenue Baptist Church. After graduating from 
elementary school, Dolores was accepted into the then prestigious 
George Washington High School. There Dolores studied dance, drama and 
the cello. In 1955, Dolores joined the Penthouse Dance and Drama 
Theater, located at 21 West 145th Street, which at the time was under 
the leadership of Sheldon B. Hoskins, to follow her dream to pursue a 
career in theater.
  Dolores was smitten by a tall handsome man, Donald H. Eaton, Jr., 
mechanical engineer. They were married in 1957 at Mount Zion Lutheran 
Church. Their beautiful wedding was catered by the famous Katz's 
delicatessen. They began to raise their family at the Colonial Park 
Houses, now known as the Ralph J. Rangel Houses. The Eaton's became 
very well known in Harlem and beyond. The couple gave birth to Donald 
H. Eaton, III in 1957 and then to Geoffrey Eric Eaton in 1958.
  After Geoffrey was born, Dolores began her own career at Mutual of 
New York Life Insurance (MONY) in mid-town Manhattan. Dolores was not 
only very smart but a truly beautiful woman as well, and so she also 
began a career in modeling. Dolores's beloved mother, Rovena was a 
seamstress at a coat factory on Delancey Street. Rovena was a gifted 
artist with a pair of scissors, a threaded needle and sewing machine. 
She hand-made all of Dolores's attractive business suits and attire. 
Dolores was easily always the apple in every man's eyes.
  As you can imagine, raising two active boys was no easy task, 
especially during the early days of the Black Revolution up North and 
the Civil Rights Movement down South. But, nonetheless, Dolores's 
perseverance, dedication, and strong maternal instincts gave well 
deserved success: her eldest son Donald is an outstanding musician, a 
tenured percussion teacher at the renowned Harlem School of the Arts, a 
member of The Last Poets, arranger and composer for Arthur Mitchell's 
Dance Theatre of Harlem and Yoruba philosopher. Her youngest son 
Geoffrey is my top aide, President of the NAACP Mid-Manhattan Branch, 
and chair of the Uptown Dance Academy, while serving on the executive 
board of Harlem Arts Alliance.
  After retiring from MONY, Dolores served
as district director for the late Harlem

[[Page 117]]

Assemblywoman, the Honorable Geraldine Daniels; where she worked hard 
to help to make history by electing the first African American Mayor of 
New York City, the Honorable David Dinkins. In 1990 she helped to make 
history again, by working hard to bring South Africa's first black 
president, Hon. Nelson Mandela to African Square on W. 125th Street 
during HARLEM WEEK. In 1994 she joined the staff of the first elected 
public advocate, the Honorable Mark Green. Dolores continued to serve 
public advocate Green, and public advocate Betsy Gotbaum as Director of 
Ombudsman Services until Dee's retirement in 2009. Dolores served as 
vice president of the Harlem Canaan House Tenant's Association, where, 
along with her son, Geoffrey and Cristal Johnson she advocated for and 
worked with management and its residents to keep the building 
affordable and functioning at the highest level for all residents. She 
was a fierce fighter, brilliant advocate and hero to all of the 
tenants.
  Dolores also volunteered her services to support the political goals, 
missions and aspirations of Honorable Lloyd E. Dickens, NYS Assemblyman 
and business icon, Honorable Basil A. Paterson, NYS Senator and NY 
State Secretary of State and she was to the end also a strong supporter 
of NYS Assemblyman Keith L. T. Wright.
  What many may not know about Dolores, was that she was a founding 
member of an elite group of activists--Blackfrica Promotions, a group, 
which was formed under the leadership of the late and great Percy E. 
Sutton alongside Lloyd Williams, Joseph Roberts, Marvin Kelly, Larry 
Frasier, Tony Rogers, Stephanie Francis, Voza Rivers, Jacques DeGraff, 
Gilbert Paschall, III, Andy Reddick, DiAnne Henderson and her very best 
friend and sister, Grace Williams. This group was the foundation for 
HARLEM WEEK and went a long way to reverse the negative trend and 
images that Harlem had in the early 70s, 80s, and 90s. One of Dolores 
favorite Blackfrica quotes was ``Learning is the beginning of wealth. 
Learning is the beginning of health. Learning is the beginning of 
spirituality. Searching and learning is where the miracle process 
begins.''
  Dolores was also a founding charter member of the Dr. Martin Luther 
King, Jr. Democratic Club, where she worked diligently for the 
elections of H. Carl McCall for State Senate, David N. Dinkins for 
Manhattan Borough President and Percy E. Sutton for Mayor.
  Dolores truly loved to travel and had great fun on her numerous 
trips, with her family and the members of Blackfrica Promotions, 
visited Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Canada, Brazil, Latin & 
South America and many states and cities throughout the USA.
  Dolores leaves to mourn her beloved sons, Donald and Geoffrey; her 
daughter Allyson; her beloved grandsons Geoffrey, Jr. and Geoffrey, 
III; her nephew Russell Eaton Jr.; daughters-in-law, Melanie, Cheryl 
and Reiko; her matriarch cousins Eleanor Holmes and Lulu Scott; first 
cousins Madeline Williams, Michael, Ginger, Laura Ceasar, William and 
Craig Spooner, Edward, Mark, Jessica Hodge, Iris Mack, Cathy and 
Thomasina Holmes and Otis Cruse; a host of cousins that hail from the 
north, the south and the west coast too numerous to name; many more 
family members; a host of dear friends, neighbors, Donald Eaton, Sr., 
the father of her sons, and many beautiful memories.
  Dee now joins with John ``Smitty'' Smith, her longtime companion who 
preceded her in death.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues join me 
in recognizing Dolores Eaton. Sunsets always bring the night and new 
lights arise with the stars--with this comes new beginnings and we know 
that this mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin and friend, Dolores Eaton, 
is up there as one of the new and brightest stars in the sky.

                          ____________________