A. C. Bilbrew was the director of the first black choir featured in a film, 1928's Hearts of Dixie, which also happened to be the first black "talkie." She was also a pioneer in radio, becoming the first African American soloist on the radio in 1923, and later, the first African American to have and host a show in 1942. She was a cast member of the movie The Foxes of Harrow in 1947. Bilbrew was a champion of women's rights and childhood literacy; she was a community leader, musician, poet, and deputy to Kenneth Hahn (County Supervisor) A Los Angeles branch library is named after her. Kenneth Hahn (1920–1997) was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for forty years, from 1952 to 1992. Hahn was on the Los Angeles City Council from 1947 to 1952. He was an ardent supporter of civil rights throughout the 1960s, and met Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1961. A similar photograph appears with the article "NCNW Celebrates Bethune Women's Day," Los Angeles Sentinel, 30 Aug. 1962: B7. Mary Jane McLeod Bethune was an American educator, stateswoman, philanthropist, humanitarian and civil rights activist best known for starting a private school for African-American students in Daytona Beach, Florida. She also was appointed as a national adviser to President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of what was known as his Black Cabinet. Mother Pearl C. Wood founded the Triangular Church of Truth, in Los Angeles, in 1932. Text from newspaper caption: Guests and platform speakers included in the photo at lower right are from left: Mrs. Jeanette Petrie, Mrs. Ora Taylor, Mrs. Ann O'Ferrall, Lt. Commander Dennis Nelson, Mrs. Ruth Cunningham, Mrs. A. C. Bilbrew, Mrs. Ferrol Bobo Starks, Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, Mother Pearl Woods, Atty. James Flournoy. Written on back of photo: Mrs. A. C. Bilbrew (center)? Photographer's stamp on back of photo: Please credit photo / by / Harry H. Adams / 4223 So. Avalon Blvd. AD 2-9497 / Los Angeles, Calif. / Photographer's date stamp: Aug 1962
Type
image
Identifier
uclalsc_1889_b18_f04_005a.tif ark:/21198/z1hm6sjq
Subject
African American civic leaders African American churches City council members Taylor, Ora Starks, Ferrol Bobo, Mrs Bethune, Mary McLeod, 1875-1955 Nelson, Dennis D. (Dennis Denmark), 1908-1979 Petrie, Jeanette O'Ferrall, Ann Flournoy, James, 1915-2009 Hahn, Kenneth Bilbrew, A. C. (Alice C.), 1891-1972 Cunningham, Ruth Second Baptist Church (Los Angeles, Calif.) Wood, Pearl C., 1892-1974
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