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.; Elected in 1963, Billy G. Mills (1929-) was the third African American to serve on the Los Angeles City Council, a seat he held until 1974 when he became a Los Angeles Superior Court judge. He was the first African American chairman of the Democratic County Central Committee, winning over fellow Councilman Tom Bradley by just three votes. Councilman Billy Mills (left) is pictured at City Hall holding a certificate with Pat McLamore, who was crowned Queen of the second annual Watts Christmas Parade in 1966. They stand in front of an over-sized aerial photograph of City Hall and surrounding areas. The event is unknown and no further information has been given. Photograph circa 1966. See images 00143573 through 00143576 for additional photos in this series.
Type
image
Format
1 negative : safety ; 10 x 13 cm. Photographic safety negatives
Mills, Billy G Los Angeles City Hall (Los Angeles, Calif.) African American men Men African American women Women African American politicians Politicians African American legislators Legislators City council members City halls Queens Certificates Aerial photographs Aerial views Smiling Los Angeles (Calif.)
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