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 Best Dressed Award Winner, Mrs. Helene Brookins (left) with Ruth Washington (right) smiling together. Mrs. Brookins wears a lush fur coat with an extravagant floral headpiece which seemingly matches with the floral arrangements in the background. The color scheme for the event was patriotic due to elections, with floral arrangements displayed in tall golden cupids and white floral trees at the entrance. Photograph dated November 5, 1964. See images 00053395, 00053443, 00119142, and 00137903 through 00137906, for additional photos in this series.
Type
image
Format
1 negative : safety ; 10 x 13 cm. Photographic safety negatives
Washington, Ruth Los Angeles Sentinel Award presentations Newspaper publishing Flower arrangement Floral decorations Clothing and dress Fur coats Headdresses African American women South Los Angeles (Los Angeles, Calif.)
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