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. Pictured are Chief George Pierre (at podium) and City Councilman Billy Mills (dark suit). Pierre addressed City Council (not pictured) and several spectators visible in the background after having been presented a Resolution inside the City Hall Council Chambers. Photograph circa 1967. See images 00119335 and 00138018 through 00138027 for additional photos in this series.
Type
image
Format
1 negative : safety ; 10 x 13 cm. Photographic safety negatives
Pierre, George Mills, Billy G Los Angeles City Hall (Los Angeles, Calif.) Native American men City council members City halls Proclamations African American men Men Public speaking Microphone Spectators Los Angeles (Calif.)
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