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.; Elected in 1963, Billy G. Mills (1929-) was the third African American to serve on the Los Angeles City Council, a seat he held until 1974 when he became a Los Angeles Superior Court judge. He was the first African American chairman of the Democratic County Central Committee, winning over fellow Councilman Tom Bradley by just three votes.; In 1966, Yvonne Brathwaite Burke (1932-) became the first African American woman elected to the California Assembly, and in 1972, was the first woman elected to the House. She was also the first woman to chair the Congressional Black Caucus. In 1972, she became the first Congresswoman to give birth and be granted maternity leave while serving Congress.; Marguerite Justice (1921-2009) was appointed to the Los Angeles Police Commission in 1971, becoming the second woman, and the first African American woman, to be named to the commission. Justice, or "Mama J" as she was affectionately called, was well-regarded as a great supporter of the LAPD, and for her extensive community work. A group of dignitaries has gathered for the opening day of the Little League baseball season, possibly at the Denker Recreation Center, located at 1550 West 35th Place, Los Angeles. From left to right are: unidentified, Marguerite Justice, Councilmember Billy Mills, unidentified, California Assemblywoman Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, unidentified. Photograph circa 1967. See images 00053427; 00053457; 00127956 through 00127958, and 00142013 through 00142017 for additional photos in this series.
Type
image
Format
1 negative : safety ; 10 x 13 cm. Photographic safety negatives
Mills, Billy G Burke, Yvonne Brathwaite Justice, Marguerite P.,--1921-2009 Little League Baseball (Organization) African American men Men African American women Women African American politicians Politicians African American women politicians Women in politics African American legislators Legislators City council members Community activists Baseball fields Baseball gloves Parks Posing Smiling Los Angeles (Calif.)
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