Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.

Austria

In Austria, a district or ''Bezirk'' is an administrative division normally encompassing several municipalities, roughly equivalent to the ''Landkreis'' in Germany. The administrative office of a district, the ''Bezirkshauptmannschaft'' is headed by the ''Bezirkshauptmann''. It is in charge of the administration of all matters of federal and state administrative law and subject to orders from the higher instances, usually the ''Landeshauptmann'' (governor) in matters of federal law and the ''Landesregierung'' (state government) in state law. While there are matters of administrative law the municipalities themselves are in charge of, or where there are special bodies, the district is the basic unit of general administration in Austria. Officials on the district level are not elected, but appointed by the state government. There are also independent cities in Austria. They are called Statutarstadt in Austrian administrative law. These urban districts do have the same tasks as a normal district.

Vienna

The State of Vienna, which is at the same time a municipality, is also subdivided in twenty-three districts, which, however, have a somewhat different function than in the rest of the country. Legally, the ''Magistratisches Bezirksamt'' (district office) is a local offices of the municipality's administration. However, representatives (''Bezirksräte'') on the district level are elected, and they in turn elect the head of the district, the ''Bezirksvorsteher''. Those representative bodies are supposed to serve as immediate contacts for the locals on the political and administrative level. In practice, they have some power, e.g. concerning matters of traffic.

Australia

:''Main articles: State Electoral Districts, Cadastral divisions of Australia'' Electoral districts are used in state elections. Districts were also used in several states as cadastral units for land titles. Some were used as squatting districts. New South Wales had several different types of districts used in the 19th century.

Azerbaijan

Bangladesh

Bangladeshi districts are local administrative units. In all, there are 64 districts in Bangladesh. Originally, there were 21 greater districts with several subdivisions in each district. In 1984, the government made all these subdivisions into districts. Each district has several sub districts called Upazila in Bengali.

Belgium

In Belgian municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, on initiative of the local council, sub-municipal administrative entities with elected councils may be created. As such, only Antwerp, having over 460,000 inhabitants, became subdivided into nine districts ().

The Belgian arrondissements (also in French as well as in Dutch), an administrative level between province (or the capital region) and municipality, or the lowest judicial level, are in English sometimes called districts as well.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

In Bosnia and Herzegovina district is a neutral, self-governing administrative unit, under the sovereignty of the Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Brčko District

Brčko District in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina is formally part of both entities, the Republika Srpska, and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are 29 seats in the Assembly of the Brčko District.

Brazil

Brazilian municipalities are subdivided into districts. Small municipalities usually have only one urban district, which contains the city itself, consisting of the seat of the local government, where the municipality's ''prefeitura'' and ''câmara de vereadores'' (City Hall and City Council, respectively, the Executive and Legislative local bodies) are located. The rural districts and groups of urban districts (mainly in larges cities) may also present a sublocal Executive body, named ''subprefeitura''.

Canada

Alberta

In Alberta, the district (known as municipal districts) acts like a county or a city but not like the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and British Columbia, all districts and counties are part of census subdivisions of their respective census divisions.

British Columbia

In the province of British Columbia, there are several kinds of administrative districts by that name. The usual usage is a reference to ''district municipalities'', which are a class of municipality in the same hierarchy as city, town, or village. Most are styled "District of Mission" or "District of Wells", though some are styled "Corporation of Delta" or "Township of Langley".

Within the area of municipal powers, ''regional districts'', which are somewhat analogous to counties in other jurisdictions a number of municipalities, and unincorporated areas and to distinguish them from district municipalities and other kinds of district are always referred to as "regional districts".

Other kinds of districts in British Columbia are:

electoral districts (some early ridings, as electoral districts are commonly known, included "District" in their title, e.g. New Westminster District.

Forest Districts, which are a set of administrative regions of the British Columbia Ministry of Forests

Land Districts, which are the underlying cadastral survey system for the province and are the primary locational reference used in government databases and references. The primary use of "district" in combinations such as the Lillooet District or New Westminster District were a reference to the Land District, though sometimes to Mining Divisions.

School Districts, also often referred to simply as "Districts", when in context.

other types of regional subdivision, according to the Ministry or agency, are generally styled "Region" or "Area". These include such as Ministry of Environment Regions, Health Regions and regional management planning areas such as the Muskwa-Kechika Management Planning Area.

Ontario

In Ontario, a district is a statutory subdivision of the province, but, unlike a county, a district is not incorporated. Most districts are composed of unincorporated lands, mostly Crown land. Originally present-day Southern Ontario (then part of the Province of Quebec and after 1791, Upper Canada) was divided into districts in 1788 . Districts continued to operation until 1849 when they were replaced by counties by the Province of Canada.

The current Ontario districts such as Algoma and Nipissing were first created by the Province of Canada in 1858 prior to Confederation for the delivery of judicial and provincial government services to sparsely populated areas from the district seat (e.g. Sault Ste. Marie). Some districts may have District Social Service Administration Boards, which are designed to provide certain social services. The boundaries of a federal census division may correspond to those of a district.

Northwest Territories

In western and northern Canada, the federal government created districts as subdivisions of the Northwest Territories 1870-1905, partly on the model of the districts created in the Province of Canada. The first district created was the District of Keewatin in 1876 followed by four more districts in 1882. Gradually, these districts became separate territories (such as Yukon, separate provinces (such as Alberta and Saskatchewan) or were absorbed into other provinces.

Quebec

In Quebec, districts are municipal electoral subdivisions of boroughs, which are subdivisions of cities. They function in a similar manner to what is elsewhere known as a ward.

People's Republic of China

In China, the district or ''qū'' (市辖区, pinyin: ''shì xiá qū'') is a subdivision of any of various city administrative units, including municipalities, sub-provincial cities and prefecture-level cities. Districts have county level status.

Modern districts are a recent innovation. In the context of pre-modern China, the English translation "district" is typically associated with ''xian'', another Chinese administrative division. The ''xian'' is translated as "county" in the context of modern China.

Colombia

In Colombia a district is a special administrative unit. 10 areas within Colombia are designated as districts.

Barranquilla is designated a Special Industrial Port District; Cartagena is a Tourism and Cultural District; Bogotá is the Capital District and Santa Marta Historical, Tourism and Cultural District. There are also the Historical and Cultural District of Tunja; Special, Ecotouristic, Historical and Universitarian District of Popayán; Special Portuarial District of Turbo; Special Industrial, Portuarial, Biodiverse and Ecotouristic District of Tumaco; Special Border and Touristic District of Cúcuta and Special Industrial, Portuarial, Biodiverse and Ecotouristic District of Buenaventura.

France

French districts were the first subdivision of the départements from the 4 of March 1790 to the ''28 pluviôse an VIII'' (17 February 1800).

Then, in the 20th century, districts were a type of intercommunality, they've been replaced by ''communauté de communes'' and ''communautés d'agglomération'' after 1999.

Germany

In Germany, a district (''"Kreis"'') is an administrative unit between the ''"Länder"'' (German federal states) and the local / municipal levels (Gemeinden). Most of the 429 German districts are ''"Landkreise"'', rural districts. 116 larger cities (usually with more than 100,000 inhabitants) that do not belong to a district are considered as urban districts (''"Kreisfreie Städte"'' or ''"Stadtkreise"'').

In some states, there is additional level of administration between the ''Länder'' and the ''Landkreise'' called Regierungsbezirk (''government district'').

District (''Bezirk'') was also the name of administrative subdivisions of the German Democratic Republic since 1952. ''See Administrative division of the German Democratic Republic''

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is divided into eighteen districts, each with a district council.

India

India's districts ( or ; also ''mavattam'' ; Bengali জেলা); ) are local administrative units inherited from the British Raj. They generally form the tier of local government immediately below that of India's subnational states and territories. Where warranted, districts may further be grouped into administrative divisions, which form an intermediate level between the district and the subnational state (or union territory).

A district is headed by a Deputy Commissioner/ Collector, who is responsible for the overall administration and the maintenance of law and order. The district collector may belong to IAS (Indian Administrative Service). Other key responsibilities include the collection of revenue, and criminal prosecution in the district and sessional courts. Usually, the Deputy Commissioner/District Collector is conferred with magisterial powers under section 20 of Criminal Procedure Code, and designated as the District Magistrate. The official designations are, "Collector and District Magistrate" or "Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate".

Districts are most frequently further sub-divided into smaller administrative units, called either ''tehsils'' or ''talukas'' or ''mavattam''s, depending on the region. These units have specific local responsibilities, including in particular coordinating revenue collection. An intermediate level (the sub-division) between district and tehsil/taluka may be formed by grouping these units under the oversight of Assistant Commissioners or sub-collectors. Each district includes one or two cities (or large towns), a few smaller towns and dozens of villages. Most of the Indian districts have the same name as their main town or city.

As of June 2008, a total of 610 districts are defined in India, more than the number of paliamentary constituencies(545). In A.P.districts (23) are less than M.P.seats (42).

District revenue administration in A.P.

#District headed by collector #A district is composed of four or five revenue divisions administered by R.D.O./sub collector, #Revenue Divisions divided into taluks/mandals headed by tahsildars, #Mandals composed of a ten or more villages administered by village revenue officers and village servants.

Panchayati Raj

Tiers of administration #Grama panchayath: sarpanch #village clusters: M.P.T.C. #Mandal/Taluk: M.P.P./Z.P.T.C. #District: Z.P.Chairperson.

Indonesia

In Aceh, Papua (province) and West Papua, three of 33 provinces of Indonesia, a district is subdivision of a regency or a city. Formerly it was called as ''kecamatan'', which translates into English as subdistrict. However, even though both taking each places on the same level as before, the translation is ambiguous. In many newer translation of official documents ''kecamatan'' itself is translated into English as district, while some other still translate it to subdistrict. Districts or subdistricts in Indonesian context do not have legal autonomy to govern themselves, because they are only administration extensions of a regency or a city.

Iran

:''Main articles: Provinces of Iran, Counties of Iran'' Iran is subdivided into thirty one provinces (Persian: استان ''Ostān''), each governed from a local center, usually the largest local city, which is called the capital (Persian: ''Markaz'') of that province. The provinces of Iran further subdivided into counties called shahrestan (), an area inside an ostan, and consists of a city centre, few bakhsh () and many villages around them. There are usually a few cities () and rural agglomerations () in each county. Rural agglomerations are a collection of a number of villages. One of the cities of the county is appointed as the capital of the county. The world Shahrestan comes from the Persian words ''shahr'' and ''ostan'', which mean ''city'' (or ''town'') and ''province'', respectively. The nearest equivalent of ''Shahrestan'' in English would be sub-province or county. Each Shahrestan has a governmental office known as Farmandari which coordinates different events and governmental offices. The Farmandar, or the head of Farmandari, is the governor of the Shahrestan which is the highest governmental authority in the division.

Iraq

In Iraq, they use the word qadaa for districts. There are over a hundred districts, each district being within one of 18 Iraqi governorates, sometimes known as provinces. The district generally (but not always) bears the name of a city within that district, usually the capital of that district.

Japan

A district (''gun'' in Japanese) is a local administrative unit comprising towns and villages but not cities. See districts of Japan for more complete description. In 1923, its administrative role was abolished although it is still in use for addressing purposes. "District" is also a translation of ''chiku'', defined by Japan's planning law.

Kenya

In Kenya, a district (''wilayah'') is a subdivision of a Province and is headed by a District Officer (DO).

Korea (South)

A district (''gu'') is a subdivision of larger cities in South Korea. Smaller cities have no districts, whereas districts in Seoul and six Metropolitan Cities are treated as a city in its own right.

Malaysia

A district is known as ''Daerah'' in Malay. A district governed directly by the federal government is known as a Federal Territory, and they are Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan.

In Peninsular Malaysia, a district is a division of a state. A ''mukim'' is a subdivision of a district. The mukim is however of less importance with respect to the administration of local government.

In East Malaysia, a district is a subdivision within a division of a state. For example, Tuaran is a district within the West Coast Division of Sabah. A district is usually named after the main town or its administrative capital, for example, Sandakan town is the capital of the district of Sandakan, as well the capital of Sandakan Division. (Note: Sandakan district is a sub-division of Sandakan Division.)

In Malaysia, each district will have a District Office, headed by a district officer, and is administered by a local government either being a District Council, Municipal Council, or a City Council. In some highly urbanised districts, there may be further subdivisions. For example, the district of Petaling in Selangor is administered by 3 local governments: Shah Alam City Council, Petaling Jaya City Council, and Subang Jaya Municipal Council. Another example is the district of Kinta in Perak, which has 3 subdivisions: Ipoh City Council, West Kinta District Council, and South Kinta District Council. Conversely, there may be one local government administering more than one district, for example, Seberang Perai Municipal Council administers the districts of Central Seberang Perai, North Seberang Perai, and South Seberang Perai.

An administrative district border and an electoral district border (constituency) transcends each other and does not correspond with each other in most instances.

Nauru

The districts of Nauru are the only subdivisions of the whole state.

Nepal

Nepal is divided into 75 districts. Each district acts as an independent administrative unit. A district consists of various smaller units like Village Development Committees (VDC) and Municipalities. Official documents like citizenship cards and passports are issued by the Chief of District Office (CDO). Constituencies for elections are also constructed according to the population distribution within the district.

New Zealand

A district in New Zealand is a territorial authority (second-tier local government unit) that has not gained the distinction of being proclaimed a city. Districts tend to be less urbanised, tend to cover more than one population centre and a larger amount of rural area, and tend to have a smaller population than cities. While cities and districts are generally considered to be two different types of territorial authority, the area covered by a city is often known as its district—for example the term ''district plan'' is used equally in districts and cities. The Chatham Islands Territory is neither a district nor a city.

A district is not always a simple division of a region: several district lie within two regions, and the Taupo District lies in four.

Norway

Pakistan

Pakistan's districts are local administrative units inherited from the British Raj. Districts were generally grouped into administrative divisions, which in turn formed provinces. Pakistan has 130 districts (including ten in Azad Jammu and Kashmir). They comprise villages, towns and cities. A district is headed by a district nazim (mayor), who is an elected official and the local controller of the district level officers of all the departments under provincial government. The district nazim heads an elected district council composed of councilors, who represent various district-level constituencies. The councils have a constitutional requirement to be composed of a minimum of 33% women, there is no upper limit to that; so women can comprise 100% of these councils but men cannot.

Peru

Philippines

The usage of the term 'district' (''distrito'') in the Philippines has similarities to that in the United States.

Legislative

National

A constituency with a representative in the lower house of Congress is a congressional district. However, the term congressional district has become synonymous in local parlance as 'representative district,' because, just like in the US, the word 'congress' (''konggreso'') has come to refer especially just to the lower house (the House of Representatives).

A legislative district, which has an average population of about 250,000 to 500,000 may be composed of: (a.) an entire province, (b.) within a province, a group of municipalities and cities (sometimes even including independent and highly urbanized cities geographically located in the province), (c.) a single city, (d.) a group of geographically adjacent independent cities and independent municipalities (currently the only example is the Pateros-Taguig, or (e.) a group of barangays within a city.

Each province is guaranteed at least one representative to the lower house, even though it may not come close to having the same population as that of other more populated legislative districts. Only voters within each district are allowed to vote in the election for the member of the House of Representatives from that district.

From 1916 to 1935, the Philippines was divided into 12 senatorial districts, of which 11 elected two members each, for a total of 22 out of the 24 members of the upper house of Congress (the Senate). Since 1935 senators have been elected at large.

Regional

In addition, each congressional district that falls under the jurisdiction of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (a total of 8) elects three members each to the country's only subnational legislative assembly.

Provincial

There are provincial districts for the purpose of electing ''Sangguniang Panlalawigan'' (Provincial Council) members, which follow the congressional district arrangement, except that independent and highly urbanized cities whose charters prevent them from electing provincial officials are excluded. Also, provinces that comprise a lone congressional district are divided into at least two provincial districts.

City

There are also city councilor districts for the purpose of electing ''Sangguniang Panlungsod'' (City Council) members, which follow the congressional district arrangement. In cases where the city does not form two or more congressional districts by itself, it is divided into at least two city council districts.

Administrative

Current

Districts exist as an administrative entity only in local government, with limited powers or responsibilities. Certain cities, such as Manila, Iloilo and Davao, for administrative purposes, formally divide their jurisdictions into city districts composed of several barangays, but the extent of these district-level administrative powers vary. Several barangays (the lowest level of government) also have the word 'district' in their names — examples are those in Jala-jala and Zamboanga City. However, this is solely for the purpose of nomenclature, and does not imply a higher level of local government.

Historical

During Spanish and early American colonial rule, certain areas of the Philippines were designated as 'districts,' mainly those that have not been formally organized into provinces or incorporated into existing ones. In the American era, cities and municipalities were divided into city and municipal districts, which served as the lowest level of government before the creation of the barangay.

Special-purpose districts

Special-purpose districts also exist in the Philippines, created for government departments and agencies. Examples are school districts for the Department of Education (DepEd), engineering districts for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and coast guard districts for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Informal districts

Some cities and municipalities also extend the usage of the word 'district' to refer to certain areas, even without having any formal administrative purposes. Examples are the central business districts in Naga City and Makati City.

Poland

The second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture (LAU-1) in other countries is called a ''powiat''. As of 2008 there are 379 powiat-level entities in Poland: 314 land counties and 65 city counties. For a complete alphabetical listing, see list of counties in Poland.

Portugal

Districts (''distritos'') are administrative divisions of Portugal. They do not have an elected government; they are governed by a "civil governor" appointed by the central government. See Districts of Portugal.

Russia

In the Russian Federation, districts (raions) are administrative and municipal divisions of the federal subjects, as well as administrative divisions of larger cities ("city districts").

The term "district" is also used to refer to the type of administrative division of the Sakha Republic—''ulus'' (; ). The Sakha Republic is administratively divided into five cities under the Republic's jurisdiction and 33 ''uluses''. The law of the Sakha Republic establishes that the terms "''ulus''" and "district" are equivalent.

In historical context (for the Russian Empire), the term "district" is often used to refer to ''uyezds''.

Scotland

In Scotland, local government districts were used from 1975 to 1996.

Serbia

Serbia is divided into twenty-nine districts (''okrug'') and the city of Belgrade, each of which is further divided into municipalities (''opština'')

Slovakia

In Slovakia, a district (''okres'') is a local administrative unit.

South Africa

In South Africa, the district municipality forms the layer of government below the provinces. A district municipality is in turn divided into several local municipalities. This structure varies in the six largest urban areas (Cape Town, Durban, East Rand, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Pretoria), where a metropolitan municipality is both a district and a local municipality.

Sri Lanka

For purposes of local government, the country of Sri Lanka is divided into nine provinces: Western, Central, Southern, Northern, Eastern, North Western, North Central, Uva and Sabaragamuwa. (The Northern and Eastern Provinces have however, technically been jointly administered since 1988.)

Each of the districts is divided into divisions. These were originally based on the feudal counties, the ''korale''s and ''rata''s. They were formerly known as 'D.R.O. Divisions' after the 'Divisional Revenue Officer'. Later the D.R.O.s became 'Assistant Government Agents' and the Divisions were known as 'A.G.A. Divisions'. Currently, the Divisions are administered by a 'Divisional Secretary', and are known as a 'D.S. Divisions'. Rural D.S. Divisions are also administered by a 'Pradeshiya Sabha' (Sinhala for 'Regional Council'), which is elected.

Sweden

Some municipalities in the Kingdom of Sweden have divided their territory into smaller areas, which often are assigned an administrative board responsible for certain elements of municipal governance within their district. These areas take a variety of different Swedish names, however "district" is usually the official English term for them. The term "borough" is sometimes used in unofficial contexts.

Switzerland

In Switzerland, some cantons organise themselves into districts, while others dispense with districts and govern themselves at the (constituency or electoral district) level.

Thailand

A district ("amphoe") is a subdivision of a ''province'' ("changwat") in Thailand. Some provinces also contain minor districts ("king amphoe"), which are smaller than the average district.

Turkey

In Turkey, a district () is an administrative subdivision of a province (). See also Districts of Turkey.

United Kingdom

England

Districts are the most recognisable form of local government in large parts of England. For those areas that retain two-tier local government, districts usually form the lower tier of that arrangement, with counties forming the upper tier. Districts tend to have responsibility for a number of areas including:

tax collection (council tax and non-domestic rates)

Leisure Services

Refuse collection

Housing

Planning

Arts & Entertainment

Environmental Health

Each district raises taxes from residents on behalf of itself, and the upper tier authority through the Council Tax. It also raises income from business through the Non-Domestic Rates system, which is co-ordinated nationally.

Wales

There is no official use of the word 'district' in Wales. The country is broken up into 22 unitary authorities. The term district may be used informally to describe a whole or unofficial part of a ward in a city.

Scotland

In Scotland, local government districts were use from 1975 to 1996.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is divided into twenty-six districts for local government purposes. The councils do not carry out the same range of functions as those in the rest of the United Kingdom, e.g. they have no responsibility for education, for road building or for housing (though they do nominate members to the advisory Northern Ireland Housing Council).

Their functions do include waste and recycling services, leisure and community services, building control and local economic and cultural development. They are not planning authorities, but are consulted on some planning applications. Collection of rates (local tax) is handled by the Rate Collection Agency.

==United States == There are several types of district in the United States.

A constituency with a representative in Congress is a congressional district. Each state is organized into one or more such districts; the exact number within each state is based on the most recent census. Only voters within each district are allowed to vote in the election for the member of the House of Representatives from that district. Overall, there are 435 congressional districts in the United States; each has roughly 630,000 people, with some variance.

A constituency with a representative in a state legislature is a ''legislative district''; the territory over which a federal court has jurisdiction is a federal judicial district.

The District of Columbia is the only part of the United States, excluding territories, that is not located within any of the fifty states.

The United States also has many types of special-purpose districts with limited powers of local government. School districts are the most common, but other types of districts include college districts, hospital districts, utility districts, irrigation districts, port districts, and public transit districts. In some parts of the United States, some of these districts are given the name "authority", so that an entity to manage bus service in the western US would be called a "transit district" and in the eastern US the same type of entity is called a "transit authority."

Many cities in the late 20th century adopted names for non-governmental districts as a way of increasing recognition and identity of these distinct areas. Perhaps most apparently in Los Angeles, various areas and neighborhoods within the city are specified as districts. For instance, Hollywood is a district of Los Angeles, whereas Beverly Hills is an independent city, with its own government and police department. This can often lead to confusion among foreigners and natives alike, as the difference between districts, suburbs and neighboring cities is often quite ambiguous, for they all make up the greater LA area. As with any city, the important distinction is that areas classified as districts are still part of the parent city.

Various federal, regional and local agencies such as the National Register of Historic Places recognize historic districts.

Prior to the Act of Consolidation in 1854, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania had some districts acting like cities or towns.

Vietnam

A district (''quận'') is an administrative unit lying between a province (or lower province) and higher village.

See also

Lists of unofficial regions by country

Municipality

References

Category:Types of country subdivisions

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Name	Tommy Hilfiger
Nationality	American
Birth date	March 24, 1951
Birth place	Elmira, New York, U.S.
Education	Elmira Free Academy
Label name	Tommy Hilfiger }}

Thomas Jacob "Tommy" Hilfiger (born March 24, 1951) is an American fashion designer and founder of the premium lifestyle brand Tommy Hilfiger.

Early life

Hilfiger born in Elmira, New York. The second of nine children, he grew up in an Irish-American family; he claims direct descendence from Scottish poet Robert Burns. His parents originally intended for him to be an engineer. He attended Elmira Free Academy for high school. Rather than furthering his education, he started to work in retail at the age of 18. Hilfiger would go to New York City to buy jeans and bell-bottom pants, which he customized and resold at a local downtown Elmira store, Brown's.

He later opened his own store, named The People's Place, around the block in downtown Elmira. Although the store was a hot spot for teens with frequent contests and live DJ appearances, there were often more people hanging out than shopping. Over the years, a number of stores closed in downtown Elmira as shopping traffic shifted to the new Arnot Mall in Horseheads, New York. It wasn't long before The People's Place became another casualty. After seven years, The People's Place went bankrupt, when Hilfiger was 25. The site of the original store has since been demolished to make room for First Arena, home of the Elmira Jackals Hockey team.

Career

After turning to the design of clothing by designing for the rest of his stores in upstate New York, Hilfiger moved to New York City with his now estranged wife, Susie. Although he was offered design assistant positions with designers Calvin Klein and Perry Ellis, and was broke, he turned them both down with greater plans in mind.

In 1984, he founded the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation,'' (NYSE:TOM)'', with support from The Murjani Group, which went public in 1992, introducing his signature menswear collection. By 2004 the company had 5,400 employees and revenues in excess of $1.8 billion. Hilfiger was named Menswear Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 1995..

In 1998, Hilfiger gave singer Aaliyah her endorsement deal, in which he honored her in his Summer 1998 fashion show in Jamaica.

In 2005, a CBS TV reality show called ''The Cut'' tracked the progress of sixteen contestants as they competed for a design job with Hilfiger in similar fashion to Donald Trump's ''The Apprentice''. In the end Hilfiger chose Chris Cortez.

Largely due to declining sales, in 2006, Tommy Hilfiger sold his company for $1.6 billion, or $16.80 a share, to Apax Partners, a private investment company.

In March 2010, Phillips-Van Heusen, owner of Calvin Klein, bought the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation for $3 billion.

Personal life

Hilfiger has four children with his ex-wife, Susie: Alexandria ("Ally"), Richard, Elizabeth, and Kathleen. His daughter Ally was featured in the MTV reality show ''Rich Girls'' and his son, Rich, was signed to hip hop super producer Swizz Beatz' label Full Surface. Rich, who goes by the hip-hop stage name Rich Hil, was arrested on August 1, 2010 in West Hollywood for possession of marijuana and intent to sell.

Hilfiger put his Greenwich, Connecticut, mansion on the market in the summer of 2008 for an asking price of $27 million.

On December 12, 2008, he married his second wife Dee Ocleppo (''née'' Erbug), former wife of Gianni Ocleppo, famous Italian tennis player of the 1980s.

On February 25, 2009, the New York Post reported that Ocleppo was three months pregnant, and Hilfiger would welcome a fifth child later in 2009.

On May 4, 2009, Hilfiger and Ocleppo announced they were expecting a boy, who was born on Tuesday, August 4, 2009, and named Sebastian Thomas Hilfiger.

Criticisms

Hilfiger has been criticized for manufacturing clothes in sweatshop conditions in the United States territory of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. As a U.S. Commonwealth, clothes made there can be labeled "Made in the USA", but federal labor laws including the minimum wage do not apply. In March 2000, the company, along with other defendants, settled a class action suit brought by Saipan garment workers, which had alleged mistreatment by over 20 large U.S. clothing manufacturers.

Libelous hoax email

An email saying that Hilfiger appeared on the Oprah Winfrey television show on "28 November" and made racist remarks, and calling for a boycott of Hilfiger's merchandise, has circulated widely. It was first seen in 1996, seemed to disappear, but reappeared and was still in circulation . Winfrey made clear on her show and website in 1999 that Hilfiger had never appeared on her show until then, much less made the remarks attributed to him in the email; and Hilfiger paid investigators, who traced it to a college campus but could not identify the perpetrator. Allegations were reported to the Anti-Defamation League; they wrote to Hilfiger in 2001 "We have concluded that these rumors are completely false, and it is apparent that you never made the statements attributed to you, nor did you appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show". Hilfiger appeared on the Winfrey show on 1 January 2006, where he and Winfrey repeated that he had not appeared before. Winfrey said about the email "You're supposed to say, 'That's a big fat lie.'"

Product lines

Hilfiger Denim, a premium-upscale denim collection for men and women. Designs are inspired by American classics and finished with a modern edge.

True Star Gold, fragrance created by Hilfiger and spokeswoman Beyoncé Knowles

True Star, another fragrance created by Hilfiger and with spokesperson Beyoncé Knowles & True Star Men, a fragrance created by Hilfiger and with spokesperson Enrique Iglesias

Tommy Girl, fragrance for women

Red Label, a line of denim-themed products including jeans, t-shirts, and sweatshirts

H by Tommy Hilfiger, an upscale line which was ended after Tommy Hilfger sold his company, the same sort of style is now carried on under the Tommy Hilfiger label in their specialty stores

Tommy Hilfiger, the company line of clothes sold in department stores, company stores, and specialty stores

Tommy Sport, a defunct line that came out in the 1990s and capitalized on Hilfiger's popularity in urban areas.

Tommy Hilfiger for the Home, a line of bedding and bath products

Tommy Sailing, was due to be released in January or February 2007.

Tommy, a brightly colored casual line.

Tommy Jeans, a denim inspired clothing collection and corresponding fragrance

Hilfiger Athletics, a sport inspired clothing line and fragrance

References

External links

Official website

Urban Legends that allege false claims against Hilfiger

Anti-Defamation League; Letter to Tommy Hilfiger

Category:1951 births Category:American fashion businesspeople Category:American fashion designers Category:Companies established in 1985 Category:American people of Irish descent Category:Living people Category:People from Elmira, New York Category:People from New York City Category:Irish American history

da:Tommy Hilfiger de:Tommy Hilfiger et:Tommy Hilfiger es:Tommy Hilfiger fr:Tommy Hilfiger gl:Tommy Hilfiger it:Tommy Hilfiger he:טומי הילפיגר nl:Tommy Hilfiger (persoon) ja:トミー・ヒルフィガー pl:Tommy Hilfiger pt:Tommy Hilfiger ru:Хилфигер, Томми fi:Tommy Hilfiger sv:Tommy Hilfiger th:ทอมมี ฮิลฟิเกอร์ vi:Tommy Hilfiger zh:汤米·席尔菲格

Name	La Toya Jackson
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	La Toya Yvonne Jackson
Alias	Toya
Born	May 29, 1956Gary, Indiana, U.S.
Genre	Pop, R&B, dance
Occupation	Singer–songwriter, musician, actress, model, author, television personality, businesswoman
Years active	1972–present
Label	Polydor (1980–82)Epic (1983–87)Teldec / RCA (1987–88)Teldec (1989)BCM (1990)Pump / Dino (1991–92)Mar-Gor (1993)CMC (1994–95)Ja-Tail / Bungalo (2002–present)
Associated acts	The Jacksons, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Rebbie Jackson, USA for Africa
Website	Official Site }}

La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, television personality, actress, businesswoman, philanthropist, activist and former model. She is the fifth child of the Jackson family. She maintained a career as a singer throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and returned to music in 2004 with her ''Billboard'' charting songs "Just Wanna Dance" and "Free the World". An EP called ''Starting Over'' was released June 21, 2011 which will be followed by a full-length album that will be released later in the year.

Biography and career

Early life

Born on her sister Rebbie's 6th birthday on May 29, 1956, in Gary, Indiana, La Toya Jackson is the fifth of nine children born to Joseph and Katherine Jackson and the middle female child between Rebbie and Janet. Growing up, La Toya was a shy homebody. After her mother became a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses in 1965, La Toya, along with the rest of her siblings followed. She would spend some of her time (alongside her mother) preaching door-to-door. "Every morning, Michael and I witnessed, knocking on doors around Los Angeles, spreading the word of Jehovah." By 1972, at sixteen, La Toya joined her brothers in the spotlight with a tap dancing routine when her father arranged for them to perform shows in Las Vegas, among other cities. Jackson aspired to be an attorney specializing in business law. She attended college for a short time before her father insisted that she pursue a career in show business like the rest of the family.

1970s: ''The Jacksons''

In 1976 and 1977, La Toya and her sisters Rebbie and Janet appeared in all twelve episodes of ''The Jacksons'' - a CBS-TV variety program, with their brothers Jackie, Tito, Marlon, Michael, and Randy. Along with their brothers (minus Jermaine), La Toya and her sisters sang, danced and performed skits. In 1978 during the filming of ''The Wiz'', La Toya traveled with her brother to New York. Sharing an apartment, it was the first time either of them had lived elsewhere as adults. Close siblings, Michael and La Toya, would not move out of the family's Encino home until they were 30 and 31 respectively.

Gentleman callers during this period included Diana Ross' brother Chico, Prince, and a young David Gest. Jackson also dated Bobby DeBarge, and was the inspiration for Switch's 1979 hit "I Call Your Name" and 1980's "You and I".

Under Joe Jackson's tutelage Rebbie, La Toya and Janet formed a short-lived musical group. However, they never performed live and soon separated because of creative differences about the act's future direction. Consequently, no related material was ever released by the trio. The next year, La Toya began work on her first solo album.

1980-83: Solo career

In 1980, Jackson released her self-titled debut album. In order to distinguish herself from her famous brothers, The Jacksons, La Toya only wanted her first name on the album. "I begged just to have it 'La Toya'. But my father said, 'It's your last name. You got to use it.' But I wanted to see what I could do as an individual." The first single "If You Feel the Funk", became a modest hit, climbing into the Top 40 of the US R&B chart. Her second single, "Night Time Lover", was produced by younger brother Michael, who provided backing vocals. In turn, she provided the opening scream on her brothers', The Jacksons, 1980 hit, "This Place Hotel" as well as backing vocals on brother Michael's 1984 solo hit "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)".

The ''La Toya Jackson'' album peaked at #116 on the US ''Billboard'' 200, #26 on the ''Billboard'' R&B album chart, and #178 on the UK Top 200, making it her highest placing album.

In 1982, Jackson released a follow-up album, ''My Special Love'', which generated two singles, "Stay the Night" and "I Don't Want You to Go".

1984-87: ''Heart Don't Lie'' and international success

1984 saw the release of Jackson's critically acclaimed album ''Heart Don't Lie.'' Jackson scored her biggest ''Billboard'' Hot 100 hit with the titular track "Heart Don't Lie", which peaked at number 56. Other singles from this album were "Bet'cha Gonna Need My Lovin'", "Hot Potato", and a cover of Prince's "Private Joy." Jackson and Amir Bayyan co-wrote "Reggae Nights" for ''Heart Don't Lie'' but the track did not make the cut. Jimmy Cliff's recording of the song was a hit and was nominated for a Grammy. Cliff commissioned Jackson to write two more songs: "Brown Eyes" and "American Sweet."

In 1984 Jackson capitalized on her rising popularity by licensing her name to a fashion line; "David Laurenz for La Toya." According to her three year contract with the suede and leather-maker Jackson agreed to only wear David Laurenz items during her public appearances. Apparel in the collection included Jackson's signature leather headbands. Jackson starred in adverts for Nikon cameras and the following year she become the spokesmodel for cosmetics firm Mahogany Image and launched her own eponymous fragrance, ''La Toya''.

In 1985 Jackson participated on the single "We Are the World", an appeal for famine relief in Ethiopia. That same year Jackson featured in anti-drug music video "Stop the Madness".

Her 1985 single "Baby Sister" was a notable success, as it received one of three Outstanding Song Awards at the sixteenth annual World Popular Song Festival in Japan. "Baby Sister" was included on the 1986 album ''Imagination'', released just before Jackson's record label, Private-I, went bankrupt resulting in poor promotion. Jackson went on to record two duets; "Oops, Oh No!" with Cerrone, and "Yes, I'm Ready" with artist Jed. In 1987 Jackson was featured as a special guest at Minako Honda's ''DISPA (Disco Party)'' concert, joining in for the song, "Funkytown".

1988-89: Departure from the family home and ''Playboy''

In 1987, Jack Gordon was hired to co-manage La Toya by her father, Joseph. He later took over her management completely.

Under Gordon's management, Jackson's public image became increasingly sexier. Katherine Jackson recalled her shock seeing La Toya dance in a suggestive manner in 1988 for the first time in her autobiography ''My Family, The Jacksons'', "she'd been so conservative that she'd once dropped a friend who had begun wearing low-cut tops and skirts with slits in them." Katherine believed that Gordon was distancing La Toya from her family so he could "become the dominating influence in her life." Around this time Jackson was disfellowshipped by the Jehovah's Witnesses. Defying her father, Jackson made a stormy exit from the family's Encino compound to take up residence in New York City.

In late 1988, Jackson released the album ''La Toya'', which featured the singles, "You're Gonna Get Rocked!" and "(Ain't Nobody Loves You) Like I Do". The album also included a track titled "Just Say No", which was written for the Reagan administration's anti-drug campaign. The album included four tracks produced by Full Force, and three by Stock Aitken Waterman. The album is notable for being the first one Jackson released after changing her management.

In March 1989, Jackson posed topless for ''Playboy'' magazine. Jackson saw the pictorial as a declaration of independence from her conservative upbringing and "to show my parents they couldn't dictate to me any more--that I control my life." The cover and layout was one of the most successful issues in ''Playboy'''s history, turning Jackson into an overnight sex symbol. At its time of release, it sold over 8 million copies, going on to become the best selling issue of the magazine ever. She posed again in ''Playboy'' in November 1991 to promote her autobiography and subsequently acted in a 1994 video for the magazine, becoming one of the first celebrities to have a ''Playboy'' video released. She later said that she initially refused to pose for the second spread and for the video, however, Gordon beat her into submission.

In 1989, Jackson began recording her sixth album ''Bad Girl''. That year Jackson staged a live pay-per-view concert, ''A Sizzling Spectacular!'', from Bally's theatre in Reno. Jackson's set list included songs from ''La Toya'' and ''Bad Girl''. The show featured special guest star Edgar Winter.

1989-96: Public notoriety, abuse, and exile from the Jackson family

On September 5, 1989, after her ''Sizzling Spectacular'' concert in Nevada, Gordon forcibly married Jackson, claiming it was for her own protection against kidnapping by her family. La Toya Jackson states that this was both unplanned and against her wishes. According to Jackson; "I told him, 'No way, Jack! I can't marry you. You know what marriage means to me. I've never been in love; I don't even date.... It's not right. I don't love you. I don't have feelings for you.'" Jackson tried to run out of the chapel three times but bodyguard Antonio Rossi grabbed her saying, "There's some things you have to do. Even if you don't want to." Jackson told ''Ebony'' magazine the marriage was "strictly in name only. It has never been consummated." Six months into the marriage, Jackson asked Gordon for an annulment when in Rome, Italy. In response, Gordon repeatedly bashed her head against the corner of the hotel room table saying that he would never let her go. Paparazzi subsequently photographed Jackson with black eyes, which Gordon claimed was caused by an intruder. From this point forward, Jackson lost all contact with her family and wrote an autobiography, ''La Toya: Growing Up in the Jackson Family'', which accused her father of physical abuse.

For roughly the next decade Gordon controlled Jackson with threats, lies, and routine violence. According to Jackson, "When he hit me, the first time I was in shock, I just recalled my ear ringing, just ringing so hard." Gordon confiscated Jackson's passport, transferred her bank accounts into his name, hired bodyguards to watch La Toya constantly and banned her from speaking to or seeing her family, monitoring her every phone call. La Toya's father Joseph stated in his book ''The Jacksons'' that he believed Gordon brainwashed La Toya and made her fearful of her own family. Katherine also believed that La Toya had been brainwashed while Gordon claimed that Katherine had tried to kill her daughter. Sister Janet concurred with her parents saying at the time, "I think this guy who is with her has brainwashed her and made her like this... He keeps her away from the family, and now he's brainwashed her so much she keeps herself away from us."

In 1990 Jackson participated in the Sanremo Music Festival, entering "You and Me" an English-language version of "Verso l'ignoto" by siblings Marcella and Gianni Bella. While "You and Me" did not win Best Song, it entered Italy's hit parade, peaking at number twenty-eight. That year Jackson signed on with German-based BCM Records and released the single "Why Don't You Want My Love?" Jackson recorded other material with BCM, but the label went bankrupt and album plans were scrapped. Jackson signed with Dino Records quickly thereafter. 1991 saw the release of ''No Relations'', an album with strong house and funk influences. This album featured Jackson's top twenty-five Netherlands hit "Sexbox".

In 1992 Jackson signed a contract with the Moulin Rouge in Paris to star in her own revue, ''Formidable''. Jackson was to perform two shows a night, six nights a week. Jackson was highest paid performer in the cabaret's history earning a reported $5 million. Though ''Formidable'' was successful, selling out on most nights, Jackson departed half-way into her year-long contract owing the nightclub $550,000 in damages.

In October 1992 while taping an ''Exotic Club Tour'' in Minneapolis Jackson approached sister Janet Jackson, also in town recording her fifth studio album with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, to ask for help in escaping Gordon. Janet struck La Toya, accusing her elder sister of recording their conversation.

In 1993 in their New York home, Gordon beat Jackson repeatedly with a heavy brass dining room chair, leaving Jackson with black eyes, swollen lip and chin "the size of a clenched fist," cuts requiring 12 mouth stitches and contusions on her face, arms, legs and back. Jackson lost consciousness during the beating, leading Gordon to believe she was dead. She recalled, "He called his friends and said, 'She's dead. I killed her,' because I was lying in a puddle of blood and I was out." Gordon was arrested but then released, claiming he beat Jackson in self defense.

In December 1993 Gordon hastily arranged a press conference in Tel Aviv, where he had Jackson read a statement claiming to believe the sensational sex abuse allegation against her younger brother Michael might be true. This was an abrupt reversal of her previous defense of Michael against the charges. Gordon claimed La Toya had proof which she was prepared to disclose for a fee of $500,000. A bidding war between US and UK tabloids began, but fell through when they realized that her revelations were not what she had claimed them to be. According to La Toya, Gordon threatened to have siblings Michael and Janet killed if she didn't follow his orders.

Under Gordon's management, Jackson's career declined with his booking of disreputable jobs such as spokesperson for the Psychic Friends Network. Because of Gordon's steady stream of publicity stunts and her media portrayal as the Jackson family "black sheep" La Toya had become a hate figure of sorts. By the mid-1990s Jackson's finances were in disarray and she was forced to file for bankruptcy in order to stave off claims of $650,000 in damages to the Moulin Rouge for ending her contract early.

In 1993 Jackson held a concert at Poland's Sopot International Song Festival and released a step aerobics exercise video, ''Step-Up Workout''. In 1994, Jackson again worked for Playboy Entertainment, becoming one the very first celebrities to have a Celebrity Centerfold video. ''Playboy Celebrity Centerfold: La Toya Jackson'' was released in the first quarter of 1994 and sold roughly 50,000 copies. Jackson later released two albums, one of country music, ''From Nashville to You'', and another of Motown hits, ''Stop in the Name of Love'', in the mid-1990s.

1996-2002: Escape and seclusion

When Jackson became aware that Gordon was planning to feature her in a pornographic film she decided she'd had enough. Jackson phoned brother Randy who flew to New York to help her escape while Gordon was out. Only days later, La Toya filed for divorce from Las Vegas and sued Gordon in civil court for years of abuse under the Violence Against Women Act.

La Toya Jackson ended her estrangement with the entire Jackson family and returned home to Hayvenhurst. Jackson forgave her parents for her stifled upbringing reasoning, "I've come to realize that as we get older, we grow and learn a lot more. And I think that my father and my mother, they raised children the best way they know how." According to La Toya, Michael knew that she was forced to attack him in the press against her will and he did not blame her. "He never held any of that against me, I remember when I'd got away from this total hell I'd been through where I'd been beaten, abused, controlled and forced to say those terrible things about Michael, which I didn't for a moment believe, he held out his arms and just hugged me. I was crying saying: 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry.' He just held me tight and said: 'I am your brother, I always knew it wasn't you saying those words." Jackson's last single of the 1990s was "Don't Break My Heart."

After separating from Gordon, Jackson cloistered herself in her home and lived alone for the first time - the first six months she stated she never actually left her house due to be terrified of Gordon seeing her. Weary after her years of public scorn, she didn't know what to do with her life and was afraid to perform again. Jackson struggled to rebuild her confidence but was plagued with self doubt, explaining, "I got to the point, [...] where -- well, you know in the media they say things like, 'Oh, she can't sing. She has no talent. She can't dance.' I started believing that, and I was thinking, 'Oh my God'. And I started thinking, 'Oh gee, how could this happen to me?' How could I start believing this?". After this time she started to perform in Europe and South America occasionally to start making money to pay off the huge debts which Gordon had accumulated in her name while they where married. In the wake of the September 11 attacks Jackson was moved to compose "Free the World". She performed the song for friends to a positive reception. This spurred on Jackson to write more songs, ending up with a full album, ''Startin' Over''.

2003-06: Re-emergence and return to music

Jackson publicly re-emerged on Larry King Live on March 9, 2003. Her appearance caused CNN's phone lines to stay busy for hours and was King's highest-rated show in three years. Jackson announced her first musical project in six years, ''Startin' Over''. ''Startin' Over's'' lead single was 2004's "Just Wanna Dance", released independently under her pseudonymous nickname "Toy" in order to avoid any prejudices DJs might hold against La Toya Jackson's name. The plan worked, with "Just Wanna Dance" reaching #13 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot Dance chart. "Free the World" was released later that year to similar success. Jackson's label, Ja-Tail Records secured a deal with Universal Music Group to distribute the album, which was delayed several times due to extenuating circumstances. The 2003 promotional copy of ''Startin' Over'' leaked online in 2006, however Jackson's management revealed that the entire album was being re-recorded with an all-new track list and updated sound. That year Jackson became the spokeswoman for Australian malt beverage Star Ice's US launch.

After Jack Gordon's death in 2005, Jackson was free to speak more openly about the control he exerted over her life. She sent a security expert to eyewitness that Gordon had not faked his death a second time. In 2005 she appeared on ABC News to recant her previous allegations and defend brother Michael against new charges of child abuse. VH1 described Jackson as a role model having weathered various successes and setbacks. The perception of Jackson as an underdog and her support for LGBT rights has led her to be declared a gay icon.

2007-09: ''Armed and Famous'' and ''Celebrity Big Brother''

On January 10, 2007, the reality TV show ''Armed & Famous'' premiered on CBS starring Jackson and other celebrities. The program documented Jackson's basic training and service as a reserve police officer with the Muncie Police Department. Jackson maintains her badge by continuing to volunteer as a deputy.

The show was eventually removed from the CBS lineup, due to its inability to compete with ''American Idol''. VH1 subsequently aired the remaining episodes. On the show, Jackson demonstrated her phobia of cats, after she began hysterically screaming and locked herself in a squad car. This fear, she revealed, was caused by a childhood memory in which a relative was attacked by a cat. She underwent on-screen therapy to try to relieve her of this phobia. A single called "Armed and Famous" was planned but the title was changed to "I Don't Play That" shortly before it was sent to radio stations, where it failed to take off, on January 29, 2007, due to CBS' cancellation of the show.

In January 2009, Jackson was paid £103,000 to appear as a contestant on the British television program ''Celebrity Big Brother''. She was the second member of the Jackson family to be on the show, the first being her brother Jermaine in 2007. Jackson's goal in participating in show was to get over her shyness and "mix with people who I'd never normally meet." She was the fourth person evicted from the house ,and was the first evictee of the series to be cheered on her exit.

2009: Death of brother Michael and Home

The final version of ''Startin' Over'' was completed in late 2008, just before Jackson joined the cast of ''Celebrity Big Brother''. A new lead single, "Love, Honor, and Obey," planned for a summer 2009 release, was put on hold because of the death of Jackson's younger brother Michael. Instead, "Home" was released on the 28th of July 2009 in Michael's memory with all proceeds going to AIDS Project Los Angeles, one of his favorite charities.

La Toya Jackson was one of the first siblings present at Reagan-UCLA Medical Center on June 25, 2009, after brother Michael Jackson was pronounced dead after suffering cardiac arrest. She was named as the informant on her brother's death certificate. Jackson requested a second autopsy to be carried out after noting suspicious medical paraphernalia in Michael's rented house, evasive behavior by his doctors, and discovering that $2 million in cash and jewels had gone missing. On July 13, an interview was published in ''News of the World'' and the ''Daily Mail'' wherein Jackson went public with her conclusion that Michael was murdered. The Los Angeles County Coroner ruled Jackson's death a homicide weeks later.

2010-2011: New business ventures, ''Celebrity Apprentice'' and ''Starting Over''

In 2010, Jackson launched Dream Cream, a hand cream for German cosmetics firm Alessandro International, and named Teddy Riley head of Ja-Tail Record's music division.

Jackson took part in NBC's ''Celebrity Apprentice'', which aired from March through May 2011 and raised $65,000 for her chosen charity, AIDS Project Los Angeles. La Toya was "fired" from ''Celebrity Apprentice'' in episode 8 during season 11, which aired on April 24, 2011 on NBC. In an ''Apprentice'' first, Jackson was rehired the following episode, as she felt she couldn't defend her case. La Toya was fired for the second time on May 8, 2011 and became the first person in history to be fired from ''The Apprentice'' twice within the same season. She was also the first guest judge to appear in two episodes of season three of ''RuPaul's Drag Race''.

Jackson's second memoir, ''Starting Over'', was released in the United States on June 21, 2011 through Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. An EP, also called ''Starting Over'',was released the same day via digital outlets. A new single will be released a month later followed by Jackson's final full-length album in the last quarter of 2011.

Discography

Studio albums

''La Toya Jackson'' (1980)

''My Special Love'' (1981)

''Heart Don't Lie'' (1984)

''Imagination'' (1986)

''La Toya'' (1988)

''Bad Girl'' (1991)

''No Relations'' (1991)

''From Nashville to You'' (1994)

''Stop in the Name of Love'' (1995)

Extended plays

''Starting Over'' (2011)

Stage recordings

''Formidable'' (1992)

Awards and other achievements

Jackson co-wrote "Reggae Nights" for reggae artist Jimmy Cliff, which received a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Recording. She later recorded the song for her album ''No Relations''. She won one of five Outstanding Song Awards at the 1985 World Popular Song Festival in Japan, for her single "Baby Sister" Jackson received a US Congressional Tribute for her participation in a "Beat It" rally and Stay In School Campaign She was one of the recipients of a Grammy Award for Record of the Year as a vocalist for "We Are the World".

Jackson's foot prints were immortalized on Rotterdam's Star Boulevard Walk of Fame on 19 December 1991, originally located in Scheveningen.

She has a namesake dessert at Millions of Milkshakes in West Hollywood. The "La Toya Jackson Shake" consists of strawberries, raspberries, caramel, topped with whipped cream and a Cadbury flake.

References

External links

Official site

Official Facebook Page

Church of La Toya - officially endorsed fan site

Category:1956 births Category:Living people Category:African American female singers Category:American disco musicians Category:American house musicians Category:American pop singers Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American soul singers Category:American vegetarians Category:Big Brother UK contestants Category:Former Jehovah's Witnesses La Toya Jackson Category:LGBT rights activists from the United States Category:Musicians from Indiana Category:Participants in American reality television series Category:People from Gary, Indiana

Category:The Apprentice (U.S. TV series) contestants

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