Commemoration recognized 25th anniversary of 1992 L.A. Civil Unrest
First AME Church of Los Angeles (FAME) and the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles (KAFLA) co-sponsored a 4/29 Unity Event on April 29 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the city’s 1992 civil unrest.
The program, held at FAME’s Allen House Gardens, featured unifying remarks from L.A.’s Black and Korean leaders that illustrated the vastly improved relationship between the African American and Korean American communities. Over the years, many people had cited the conflict amongst the two ethnicities as a contributing factor leading to the uprising.
FAME Pastor J. Edgar Boyd described the occasion as “both significant and symbolic” since the church was the site where thousands of African Americans gathered on April 29, 1992 to hear from then-Mayor Tom Bradley after the four LAPD officers who beat Rodney King were acquitted by an all-white jury in Simi Valley.
Several faith leaders, elected officials and community activists joined Boyd in recalling the unrest and expressing hope for the future of race relations in Los Angeles. The participants included the Rev. Dr. Cecil ‘Chip’ Murray, who was the pastor of FAME in 1992, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, former L.A. Mayors Antonio Villaraigosa and Richard Riodan, KAFLA President Laura Jeon, Hanmi Bank President/CEO C.G. Kum, L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson and L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer.
“It is significant that these two ethnic communities are hosting this event together as a symbol of progress and the unity that has been made over the last 25 years,” said Boyd.
