Lewis honored as job fair pioneer

May 24, 2012 Brooklyn Eagle Staff
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The man credited with originating job fairs was honored last week by Borough President Marty Markowitz and the office of Rep. Ed Towns. Leslie Lewis, Markowitz’s criminal justice liaison, received — on the occasion of his 85th birthday — belated recognition for his 1969 initiative. At the time Lewis, who was then involved in the exposition business, wrote to President Richard Nixon to pitch the notion of “job power” and a “minority fair” to match employers with under-employed urban minorities. Nixon forwarded the letter to Daniel Patrick Moynihan, then Nixon’s urban affairs advisor, and it evolved into the modern-day job fair. Pictured left-right: son Marc Lewis, Leslie Lewis, son Robert Lewis, and Markowitz.

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