Though Sam Haskins is on record as the first African American hired as an on call firefighter in Los Angeles, it seems that George Washington Bright was hired as the first full time African American firefighter in Los Angeles on October 2, 1987. Bright was appointed by the Fire Commission as a call man and assigned to Engine Co. No. 6. On November 1st of that same year, he was promoted to a full-time hose man and assigned to Engine Co. No. 3. On January 31, 1900, Bright was promoted to Driver Third Class and assigned to Chemical Engine Co. No. 1.
The AAFFM opened its doors as a Museum on December 13, 1997. The dedication of the Museum also served as the acknowledgement of what was believed to be the city’s first 100 years of service by African American Firefighters (1897-1997). Today the AAFFM stands as the first and so far the only free standing African American Firefighter Museum in the United States. The first floor contains vintage fire apparatus, stories and pictures of pioneering African American Los Angeles Firefighters. The Museum gallery is located on the second floor with pictures, artifacts and other memorabilia of African American Firefighters from around the country. There is a memorial moving tribute to the firefighters that perished during the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center in New York City.
Before there was Motown, there was John Dolphin and the Dolphin’s of Hollywood. Dolphin, an L.A. native, made a name for himself in the music industry and worked as promoter, manager, musician, and producer. The Dolphin’s of Hollywood Record Shop was established in 1948, opening on Vernon and Central Ave. The store also had a recording studio, radio station, record shop and created record labels.
Legendary record producer Berry Gordy moved Motown to Los Angeles in 1972. Rick James, Teena Marie, and DeBarge were thriving artists under the Motown label. Gordy also started the TV subsidiary Motown Productions and it produced TV specials for Motown artists, including the Jackson 5 and Diana Ross.
Diane Watson is a former U.S. Representative for California’s 33rd congressional district, which she served from 2003 until 2011. The entire district, which includes much of Central Los Angeles, re-elected Watson four times. When Watson was elected to California State Senate, she was known to be an advocate for health care for underserved children. Her experience as a teacher in Los Angeles public schools and the California department of education played a pivotal role in her advocacy for children. Throughout her 35 years in public office, Watson established a reputation for improving the plight of women and diverse legislative interests in welfare reform, civil rights and foreign aid for African countries.
Former Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne Burke accomplishments come with a long list of firsts including: the first African American woman elected to the California State Legislature; the first Black woman elected to Congress from California; the first member of Congress to give birth while in office; the first African American and first woman to serve on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors; and the first woman to serve on the board of the Los Angeles Federal Reserve Bank. She represented the 2nd District since 1992 and vacated her seat in 2008. Burke broke barriers for women and African Americans in government.
In one of the most united demonstrations of power in Los Angeles History. The African American Community stood united to make Mayor James Hahn a one term Mayor. The then Mayor who had promised African American Leaders that he would give then Police Chief Bernard Parks a fair opportunity to retain his position as chief, did an about face after he was elected and refused to extend or consider extending Chief Parks contract. As a result Mayor Hahn was persona non grata within the Black Community. He was denied the opportunity to come and speak at churches, community events or any other event where African Americans were in charge. He was then ousted from his seat after one term and Antonio Villaraigosa was elected mayor. This was one of the most powerful demonstrations of African American Leadership in the history of Los Angeles. Not only did African Americans remain united in their disapproval of then Mayor Hahn but they also collectively stood in support of Bernard Parks and elected him as the 8th District Councilman which he held until he was termed out in 2014.
Bernard Parks served as the chief of the Los Angeles Police Department from 1997 to 2002. As the chief of police, Parks oversaw the significant drop in violent crimes in South Los Angeles. Due to his diligence in South Los Angeles, Parks was very popular among the Black voters in South Los Angeles and won the vacant seat in the Los Angeles City Council for the 8th district. As a councilmember, Parks successfully passed Measure L, which guaranteed a minimum level of funding for library services.
Los Angeles police chief Daryl Gates led the department from 1978 to 1992. In 1991, a videotaped beating of motorist Rodney King by four police officers was leaked to the public. The officers were tried and found not guilty in 1992. When rioting, looting and arson broke out on April 29, 1992, Gates told reporters that the situation would soon be under control. He proceeded to attend a fundraising dinner that was part of an effort to stop a city charter amendment that would give the office of police chief term and power limits. For many, his actions were confirmation that Gates was running a racist police department and his resignation was called for. He finally left in June 1992 and was replaced by Willie Williams.
Fifteen year-old Latasha Harlins died on March 16, 1991 at the hands of Empire Liquor store owner Soon Ja Du, just 13 days after the videotaped beating of Rodney King. Harlins had gone to the store to buy juice and was putting it in her backpack when Du, thinking the girl would steal, grabbed her by the sweater. Harlins proceeded to punch Du, knocking her to the ground. After Du got up and threw a stool at her, Harlins put the orange juice on the counter and proceeded to leave the store. Du grabbed her handgun and shot Harlins in the back of the head, killing her instantly. Du, claiming self-defense was eventually fined $500 and sentenced to probation and community service. The paltry sentence struck a nerve in Los Angeles’ African American community and was one of the catalysts to the 1992 civil unrest.
From January 24, 1995 to October 3, 1995, former football star Orenthal James (O.J.) Simpson was on trial for two counts of murder after his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ronald Goldman, were found murdered outside Brown’s home. Themes throughout the trial included race, police misconduct, DNA evidence and domestic violence. Simpson was found not guilty but has remained embattled since then.
On March 9, 1997 Christopher Wallace, aka The Notorious BIG was shot and killed while he was stopped at a red light on the corner of Wilshire Blvd. and South Fairfax Ave. An unknown driver pulled up alongside him hitting him with four bullets. Autopsy reports show that the fourth bullet was the fatal one. Wallace was pronounced dead at Cedars Sinai Hospital at 1:15 am, six months after the death of Tupac Shakur.The murder remains unsolved, though there are many theories surrounding the identities and motives of the murderers. After the shooting, reports surfaced linking Wallace’s murder to the murder of Tupac Shakur, because of the similarities in the drive-by shootings and the involvement of Shakur and Wallace in the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry. In 1997, Los Angeles Times authors Chuck Philips and Matt Laitt reported that the key suspect was a member of the Crips acting in service of a personal financial motive.
In 1979, R&B Icon Stevie Wonder purchased the KJLH radio station for $2.2 million from John Lamar Hill. Wonder purchased KJLH under a company named Taxi Productions Inc. and said the call letters will symbolize his goal to unify the community with “kindness, joy, love, and happiness.” KJLH is one of two commercial radio stations that are black owned and operated in California.
In 2007, the National Newspaper Publishers Association honored the Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper with the John B. Russwurm Award for Best Black Paper in America. It was the first time a west coast newspaper had won the award since the Sacramento Observer in 1996. In 2009, the L.A. Sentinel came in third for Best Church Page, second for the Carl Murphy Best Community Service Award and first for the Don King Best Sports page.
After being released from 27 years in a South African prison, activist Nelson Mandela visited Los Angeles for a peace rally concert in his honor. A joyous crowd of 75,000 people welcomed Mandela in the Los Angeles Coliseum in February 1990. Cecily Tyson, Jane Fonda and Morgan Fairchild were some of the celebrities that attended the event. In 2014, Nelson Mandela was inducted in the Coliseum Court of Honor.
District Attorney Jackie Lacey has spent most of her career as a prosecutor, manager and executive in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Since 2012, she has been the 42nd District Attorney. Her known priorities for the city of Los Angeles are keeping the community safe from violent and dangerous crimes. Her many initiatives include human sex trafficking, seniors financial and physical wellbeing, and environmental issues that affect health and livelihood.
“Magic” was born Earvin Johnson Jr. on August 14, 1959, in Lansing, Michigan. At Everett High School, Johnson earned his famous nickname, “Magic,” after a sportswriter witnessed him score 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 16 assists in a single game. Johnson had a successful basketball career playing at Michigan State University and made for an impressive point guard. Leaving college after two years, Johnson was drafted to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979 where he would become one of the most decorated basketball players in history earning three NBA Finals Most Valuable Player awards and making the Lakers NBA’s top competitors throughout the 1980s. In November 1991, Johnson retired from the Lakers after revealing that he had HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Johnson’s decision to go public helped raise awareness about the disease. He established the Magic Johnson Foundation to support HIV/AIDS research efforts and awareness programs that same year. In 1992, he wrote the educational guide What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS. Johnson became a powerful force in business with the creation of Magic Johnson Enterprises, which has a variety of holdings. In the 2000s, Johnson’s focus was on developing urban areas, bringing Starbucks coffee franchises and movie theaters to the South L.A. area. His efforts served as the catalyst for redevelopment in urban communities and is literally the blueprint for Corporate America’s engagement and success with urban consumers. In 2004, a 17-foot bronze statue of the former Los Angeles Lakers star was unveiled at dusk before several hundred fans and a handful of former teammates and dignitaries including NBA Commissioner David Stern and Mayor James K. Hahn at the Staples Center. Johnson has also teamed up with Tim Lieweke of AEG in efforts to build a new stadium and bring an NFL team back to Los Angeles as well as thousands of jobs to the city. In 2012, Johnson added to his impressive resume after selling his shares in the Los Angeles Lakers, and became an owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Johnson’s conglomerate is comprised of multiple business entities and partnerships that include Canyon Johnson, a $1 billion dollar real estate fund, Yucaipa Johnson, a $500 million dollar private equity fund, ASPIRE, a new African-American television network, SodexoMAGIC, Magic Airport Holdings, Best Buy, T.G.I.F. Friday’s Restaurant, Inner City Broadcasting Corporation, Detroit Venture Partners, and Vibe Holdings, LLC – Mr. Johnson is the Chairman of the multi-cultural media company that houses the Vibe, Uptown, and Soul Train brands.
In 2008, the Los Angeles Sentinel, multiple organizations and the local community celebrated Barack Obama, as he became the first African American Democratic nominee for president of the United States. There was a lot of excitement from members of the community. People of all ages attended to be a part of history. Speakers stressed the importance of becoming a registered voter and voting during this historic occasion. It is so important that people were able to register to vote at the rally.
In January 2012, Herb Wesson took office as president of the Los Angeles City Council. His skills and experience as an assemblyman and Speaker of the State Assembly undoubtedly prepared the way for his ascension to the position. On the City Council, Wesson Chairs the Rules and Elections Committee, which has jurisdiction over the City Ethics Commission, the Elections Division of the City Clerk, and the Ballot Simplification Committee. This committee also has jurisdiction over Council rules and policies, scheduling ballot measures and other city election and campaign practices, and the U.S. Census and redistricting. In 2015, Wesson was re-elected as City Council president demonstrating his staying power in the Los Angeles City Council 10th District and his political influence propelled other candidates and Charter Amendments 1 & 2 in the general city-wide election.
In 2011, Daryl L. Osby was sworn in as the first African American Fire Chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACFD), the second largest fire department in America. Over his 29-year career, Chief Osby has risen up the firefighting ranks — from a member of the Department, to 18 years as Chief Officer and member of the Executive Team since the year 2000. Chief Osby has held the titles of Chief Deputy of Emergency Operations and Chief Deputy of Business Operations. (courtesy of KCET.org)
California officials including Supervisor Mark-Ridley Thomas celebrated the reopening of Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital in 2015. Coming off the backs of the Watts riots and the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., the King/Drew Medical Center was opened in 1972. After decades of operation, it closed in 2007 due to failure to meet basis standards. Within the next year, there were talks to rebuild the hospital and by 2011, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas began leading master plan community meetings to get construction started. The new hospital comes complete with state-of-the-art equipment and 131 beds. It is a private non-profit hospital that accepts patients regardless of their insurance status and citizenship. The hospital also accepts patients regardless of ability to pay as their focus is not on profit, but on patient care. Thousands of people were interested in contributing as 650 people were hired out of 14,000 applicants. According to Ridley-Thomas, MLK reopening is just the beginning for what he has in store.
