Whereas: FORTY YEARS AGO, THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS MOBBED JFK AIRPORT IN THE HOPES OF CATCHING A GLIMPSE OF FOUR MEN WHO CALLED THEMSELVES THE BEATLES. FROM THEIR MUSIC TO THEIR HAIRCUTS, THE BEATLES CAPTURED THE IMAGINATION OF PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY; YOUNG AND EXUBERANT, THEY EMBODIED THE OPTIMISM OF OUR NATION AT ITS BEST. IN THEIR FIRST DAYS IN THE UNITED STATES, THEY STAYED AT THE PLAZA HOTEL, DID A PHOTO SHOOT IN CENTRAL PARK, AND, ON FEBRUARY 9TH, 1964, SEALED THEIR POPULARITY WITH A LIVE PERFORMANCE ON THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW, FORGING A BOND WITH AMERICA AND, ESPECIALLY, THE CITY OF NEW YORK.
Whereas: THEIR APPEARANCE ON THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW WAS SEEN BY A RECORD NUMBER OF VIEWERS – 40 PERCENT OF THE ENTIRE AMERICAN POPULATION – AND ACCORDING TO POLICE OFFICIALS, ASTONISHINGLY FEW CRIMES WERE COMMITTED DURING THAT HOUR. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BEATLES AND OUR CITY CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE SIXTIES; THEY WERE THE FIRST ROCK AND ROLL BAND TO PERFORM AT CARNEGIE HALL, AND THEY GAVE TWO MOMENTOUS PERFORMANCES AT SHEA STADIUM. IT WAS A DIFFICULT TIME IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY, AS WE BEGAN TO RECOVER FROM THE TRAGIC ASSASSINATION OF JOHN F. KENNEDY. THE BEATLES, WITH THEIR BUOYANT SONGS AND BOUNDLESS ENERGY, REMINDED US OF OUR RESILIENCE. THEY SHOWED US THAT ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE, AND LOVE THEM, WE DID, EIGHT DAYS A WEEK.
Whereas: TODAY, THE FAB 40! COMMITTEE IS CELEBRATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BEATLES' FIRST VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES, WITH A PARTY JUST THREE BLOCKS FROM THE ED SULLIVAN THEATER, WHERE THEY PERFORMED THAT NIGHT IN 1964. AS WE CONTINUE TO REBUILD OUR CITY, THE BEATLES' MESSAGE IS ESPECIALLY POIGNANT. WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RETURN TO YESTERDAY, BUT THE MUSIC OF THE BEATLES LIVES AS A REMINDER THAT ALL THINGS MUST PASS – AND ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A LONG AND WINDING ROAD AHEAD OF US, THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK CITY WILL NAVIGATE IT WITH HOPE, STRENGTH, AND COMPASSION.