Title supplied by cataloger. Rolland Joseph 'Speedy' Curtis was born in Louisiana in 1922. After serving three years in the Marines during World War II, he and his wife, Gloria, relocated from New Orleans to Los Angeles in 1946. Curtis served four years with the Los Angeles Police Department, but resigned from the force in order to pursue both a Bachelor's and Master's degree from USC. He later became involved in city politics, as an associate of Sam Yorty, and later a field deputy to City Council members Billy Mills and Tom Bradley. He was briefly director of the Model Cities program in 1973. Rolland J. Curtis died in his home in 1979, the victim of a homicide. An affordable housing complex on Exposition Blvd. near Vermont Ave. was named in his honor in 1981, along with a nearby street and park. An unidentified teacher is seen with her back to the camera, conducting a choir of unidentified young boys and girls as they rehearse for the 39th Street School Christmas program in the school's auditorium. The choir appears to consist of 2 or 3 classes of students, and the children are pictured wearing white tops and dark bottoms (possibly school uniforms) as well as Santa Claus hats. A stage filled with props can be seen in the background, and the American flag is visible at rear left. Photograph circa 1965. See images 00130163 through 00130165; 00143727, and 00143728 for additional photos in this series.
Type
image
Format
1 negative : safety ; 10 x 13 cm. Photographic safety negatives
39th Street Elementary School (Los Angeles, Calif.)--Faculty African American children Children African American boys Boys African American girls Girls Women Teachers School children School Buildings Stages (platforms) Uniforms Singing Rehearsals Christmas Christmas pageants Christmas--Miscellanea Hats Flags Los Angeles (Calif.)
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