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.; In 1945, Vassie D. Wright established the “Our Authors Study Club” at the Jefferson Branch. The Club, with Wright’s leadership, sponsored the first citywide Negro History Week in February 1949. On May 22, 1984, the Library Board passed a resolution to rename the branch “Jefferson Branch – Vassie D. Wright Memorial. A group of people are gathered for an undefined community meeting. At the lectern is Ferdia Harris (in white skirt suit), field representative for Councilmember Billy Mills. Seated at the far right are Vassie D. Wright and Reverend Lewis P. Bohler. A piano is visible along the corner of the room with a floral arrangement atop it. Location is unknown. Photograph circa 1965. See image 00125545 for additional photo in this series.
Type
image
Format
1 negative : safety ; 10 x 13 cm. Photographic safety negatives
Wright, Vassie D Harris, Ferdia Los Angeles (Calif.).--City Council--Officials and employees African American men Men African American women Women Community activists Community leadership Community organization Clergy Notebooks Writing Note-taking Pianos Tables Chairs Podiums Light fixtures Draperies Decorations Smiling Los Angeles (Calif.)
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