Dear Harlemlive staff, etc.  

The funeral service (Fri. 5/21/99) of Dr. McIntyre was packed and filled with famous elders (Rev. Calvin Butts, Rev. Al Sharpton, Dr Lenton Gunn (pastor of St. James Presbyterian Church where the Service took place at West 141st & St. Nicholas Ave., in Harlem), the famous Dr. Ben, Dr Barbara Justice, Dr. L. Jeffries, Gary Byrd of WLIB AM Radio, and also, the man who created Kwanzaa, flew in from California, in speak about the good Doctor's achievements and history of helping to found the Black Studies Dept. movement in the country during the Seventies.

The event was coordinated in part by Dr. Onita Hicks, Chair of the English Dept. of Old Westbury SUNY Univ. of Long Island. Many speakers and family took part and the 400 printed program vanished. Her husband played his sax and her two sons, spoke of their beloved mother, the queen, like an OSHUN, THE GODDESS OF LOVE (Yoruba), and drummers played. After two hours, the planners, recognizing Dr. McIntyre's Native American roots, introduced a beautiful spiritual Native American woman, who closed the regal African American historic event with a special Four Directions prayer, after an African Libation opening by actress/writer Carmille Yarborough.

The drummers played out on the street, filled with the all of the people, dressed in colorful costumes, after the final grand exit processional of the coffin, to be transported out to its final cremation. A full traditional African American repass of tasty food (rice & peas) and drink was served to a long line of hungry worshippers, family, fans and devotees, (led by Dr. Ben himself, who had stated during the service "that Dr McIntyre had encouraged him to walk again!"), afterwards in the St. James fellowship/gym area in the basement of the church, the same famous 104 year old Harlem church, where the service of the passing of Dr. John Henrick Clark, was held just a few months ago, after it also, was determined that Benta's Funeral Home, across the street, was too small to hold all of the people who would attend. Dr. McIntyre has now made her "transition" and may she rest in peace.

It is interesting, that I first met Dr. McIntyre at the same National Black Studies Conference, where I first heard Dr. Clark, present the keynote address in 1986, sponsored by the Black Studies Dept. of Portland State University in Portland, Oregon (Where I went on to teach a weekly course, "African American Playwrights, Their Craft & Legacy"). It was while I was there also, attending to my elderly mother, in the town where I grew up, And now they have both passed on, as my mother. They will be missed and their greatest remembered. Garland Lee Thompson