Title created 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 toddler is standing on a pew playing with a purse while attending a presentation for Dr. Ruth Durley Carter in Los Angeles City Hall chambers. Dr. Carter (not pictured) was presented with a resolution by City Council Member Billy Mills commending that Dr. Carter "...has participated and held office in numerous professional and community organizations and who is a life member of the NAACP and is included in Who's Who Among American Women, 1967, for her valuable contributions to her fellow man and her profession and wishing her continued success and happiness." A group of women can be seen sitting in the background smiling and looking toward the toddler, who may be related to Dr. Carter. This event took place on January 11, 1968. See images 00130026 through 00130038; 00143668, and 00143669 for additional photos in this series.
Type
image
Format
1 negative : safety ; 10 x 13 cm. Photographic safety negatives
Los Angeles City Hall (Los Angeles, Calif.) African American children Children African American girls Girls Toddlers Women City halls Pews Handbags Newspapers Award presentations Resolutions Smiling Los Angeles (Calif.)
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