Al Howard

Al Howard was the owner of a notable New York City night club, who bought Showman’s Jazz Club after a career as a New York City Police Department detective.[1][2][3]

Al Howard
Born1927
Died2020 (aged 92–93)
Las Vegas, Nevada
Nationality United States
Occupation(s)police officer, night club owner
Known forsaved Martin Luther King Jr.'s life

During his career as a detective he was part of the team that apprehended David Berkowitz, the serial killer known as the "Son of Sam".[1] Howard appeared as himself in the 2017 documentary about capturing Berkowitz.

In 1958, when he was a patrolman, he responded to a stabbing at a book-signing, and his quick thinking played a key role in saving Martin Luther King Jr.'s life.[1][3][4][5][6][7][8] King was signing his first book when a woman, Izola Curry, stabbed him with a letter opener. When Howard and his partner, Phil Romano, arrived on scene he found a well meaning witness was about to try to remove the knife from the wound. Howard realized that this could be dangerous, and directed her to stop. He advised King to try to remain still, and try not to cough - advice that doctors later confirmed was highly significant, as the knife was right next to King's aorta. If the knife had nicked King's aorta he would have immediately bled out.

Howard then duped the crowd that had gathered, telling them to clear a line to the front door.[1][2] He then went outside, as if he were waiting for the ambulance, which caused the crowd to follow him. Howard realized that the crowd would delay taking King to a nearby hospital, so he arranged for the ambulance to come to the rear of the building, where Romano and assistants had quietly taken King.

Howard died of the Covid 19 virus while visiting Las Vegas, Nevada in October 2020.[1][4]

References
  1. Michael Wilson (2020-11-13). "Before 'I Have a Dream,' Martin Luther King Almost Died. This Man Saved Him". The New York Times. p. MB1. Archived from the original on 2020-11-18. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  2. Michael Wilson (2020-11-15). "Those we've lost: Al Howard, the officer who saved Martin Luther King after a stabbing, died of Covid-19". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2020-11-19. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  3. Alexandra Aguirre (2019-10-30). "Showman's, Harlem's longest-standing jazz club, serves up cocktails with a side of history". Columbia Spectator. Archived from the original on 2020-11-15. Retrieved 2020-11-19. The club has been run by Mona Lopez and Al Howard for the past 38 years.
  4. "Al Howard, the officer who rescued Martin Luther King after a stab, Kovid-19 died". 2020-11-15. Archived from the original on 2020-11-20. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  5. Michael Daly (2010-01-18). "Retired cop Romano's touching moment with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. resurfaces". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on 2020-11-20. Retrieved 2020-11-19. He once more lit a candle and offered a prayer for the great man who would have never been able to tell the world his dream of a mountain top had a young Romano and his partner, Al Howard, not made sure all the way to the hospital that the letter opener was not even nudged.
  6. Ron Scott (2020-11-12). "Al Howard owner of Showman's Café dies at 93". Amsterdam News. Archived from the original on 2020-11-14. Retrieved 2020-11-19. Al Howard, the laid-back owner of Harlem's last remaining jazz club and bar Showman's Café, where locals and tourists both national and international flocked for over 50 years, died October 21. He was 93.
  7. Jimmy Breslin (1997). I Want to Thank My Brain for Remembering Me: A Memoir. Thorndike Americana Press. p. 261. ISBN 9780786209712. Archived from the original on 2020-11-20. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  8. Tom Walker (2013). Bronx Hospital: A Memoir. p. 107-8, 116. ISBN 9781475987133. Archived from the original on 2020-11-20. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
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