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.; Photograph included in the Exhibit: Firsts, Seconds and Thirds: African American Leaders in Los Angeles During the 1960s and '70s from the Rolland J. Curtis Collection. Photograph shows a humorous look at several City Council members having fun at the Modern Materials Co. as employees look on. Pictured (l to r) are: Steve Anderson, owner of Modern Materials Co., laughing heartily; Councilman Gilbert Lindsay, holding a hammer; two unidentified employees; Councilman Tom Bradley, pointing at Lindsay; an unidentified employee with his back to the camera, and Councilman Billy Mills at far right also laughing at the antics. Modern Materials Co. is located at 655 E. Florence Ave., Los Angeles. Photograph dated 1968. See images 00119358 through 00119374 for additional photos in this series.
Type
image
Format
1 negative : safety ; 10 x 13 cm. Photographic safety negatives
Anderson, Steve Lindsay, Gilbert Bradley, Tom,--1917-1998 Mills, Billy G Modern Materials, Inc. (Los Angeles, Calif.) Building materials industry Lumber-yards Lumber City council members African American politicians African American men Men Photography, Humorous Laughter Pointing (Gesture) Los Angeles (Calif.)
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