by Mike Matzinger
Percy Sutton (1920 – 2009), the youngest of fifteen children, was born in San Antonio, Texas. His parents were educators and early civil rights advocates, instilling in him a commitment to leadership and service. At age twelve, he stowed away to New York City to escape Southern racism, and the following year he was beaten while distributing NAACP leaflets.
An Eagle Scout since 1936 and later a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Sutton credited Scouting with helping him dream and shaping his path in life.
During World War II, he served as an intelligence officer with the Tuskegee Airmen, earning combat stars in the Italian and Mediterranean campaigns. After the war, he became a prominent civil rights attorney, representing figures such as Malcolm X and supporting civil rights activists in the South.
Sutton served as Manhattan Borough President from 1966 to 1977 and was part of Harlem’s “Gang of Four,” helping pave the way for African Americans in New York politics. In 1971, he co-founded Inner City Broadcasting Corporation, owning the city’s first African American–owned radio station, and in 1981 he purchased and restored Harlem’s Apollo Theater, producing It’s Showtime at the Apollo.
A pioneer in law, politics, business, and civil rights, Percy Sutton remained a proud Eagle Scout who credited Scouting with guiding his lifelong dedication to leadership, service, and community.
