Honor Jimmy Breslin's Legacy

Senate Resolution No. 1778 BY: Senator HOYLMAN HONORING the life of the late Jimmy Breslin, famed journalist and champion of ordinary citizens WHEREAS, This Legislative Body seeks to acknowledge extraordinary persons who enrich the people of the State of New York; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor the life of the late Jimmy Breslin, and to commend his extraordinary work championing everyday citizens through his writing; and WHEREAS, Jimmy Breslin was a lifelong New Yorker, born in Queens on

October 17, 1928, and raised by his mother, Frances, during the Great Depression; and WHEREAS, As an author and columnist, Jimmy Breslin's remarkable career spanned almost seven decades; he covered a wide range of topics over the years, offering his unique touch and always mindful of the everyday person; and WHEREAS, His columns often humanized historical events and constantly highlighted ordinary working class people; and WHEREAS, In writing about the death of President Kennedy, rather than focusing on the ceremonial aspects of the funeral, Jimmy Breslin wrote about the man who dug the grave, Clifton Pollard, stating, "One of the last to serve John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who was the 35th President of this country, was a working man who earns $3.01 an hour and said it was an honor to dig the grave;" and WHEREAS, Jimmy Breslin was a highly decorated journalist, winning numerous major awards; and WHEREAS, In 1986, Jimmy Breslin was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for commentary of his column regarding the AIDS epidemic in which he wrote about one man's experience, offering a human face to a deadly and widely misunderstood disease; and WHEREAS, Jimmy Breslin has been credited as one of the founders of "New Journalism," which uses literary methods to add immediacy and intrigue to nonfiction writing; when reading his work, one always felt "immersed in the story;" and WHEREAS, In addition to his journalistic writing, Jimmy Breslin authored over 20 books on a wide variety of topics which ranged from sports to crime to his view on the world and more; and WHEREAS, In a career which traversed almost seventy years, Jimmy Breslin's writing reached millions of people and helped the reader to better understand and connect with fellow people; and WHEREAS, Jimmy Breslin continued writing until his recent death on