Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price joined Los Angeles Unified School District Board President Jackie Goldberg, Holmes Avenue Elementary School students and educators along with community members to officially unveil Bessie Burke Square, in honor of the first African American teacher and principal in the history of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).
The dedication ceremony, held Feb. 29, at the intersection of 52nd Street and Holmes Avenue adjacent to the Pueblo Del Rio Housing Projects, coincided with the last day of African American History Month to serve as a tribute to her extraordinary contributions to the education system and lasting impact on the community.
Leon Gullette, who graduated from the elementary school in 1978, organized and petition for the dedication.
“I started doing research on Bessie Burke, who should have been praised. No one had paid any attention to her as the first Black teacher in L.A.’s school district before it was unified. I contacted the Councilman’s office and after their own research, they agreed that we have all missed out. It is time for us to celebrate this woman,” he said.
“It’s an honor to celebrate a real shero in our community,” said Price. “Though her name may not be widely recognized, she stands as a true champion of civil rights.
“In the early 20th century, she embarked on a journey that would forever change the landscape of education in our great city of Los Angeles. Her appointment was not just a personal achievement, but a triumph in the fight for equal rights, opening the doors for future black and brown educators,” he continued.
Bessie Bruington Burke was born on March 19, 1891, in Los Angeles. In 1887, her parents left their farms and teaching jobs in Kansas via a covered wagon. They settled in what is now North Hollywood.
Burke attended Berendo Elementary School, Polytechnic High School, and the Los Angeles State Normal School (LANS). The normal school is now a part of the University of California, Los Angeles. Burke graduated seventh in a class of 800 from LANS.
By 1911, Burke had received her teaching credentials and became the first Black teacher in the Los Angeles Public School System. Burke began teaching at Holmes Elementary School and became the first Black principal in L.A. in 1918. In 1938, she became a principal at Nevin Avenue School, making her the first Black principal to head a racially integrated school.
“We must carry forward her torch of inclusivity and equity. We want to continue to break down the barriers to create a more flourishing, positive future for all. As we reflect on the accomplishments of Bessie and countless other African American pioneers this month, let us recommit ourselves to the values of justice, fairness, and empowerment,” Price concluded.
“It’s important that we celebrate events like this because this history gets lost. When we lose our history, we lose who we are. We lose how we got where we are and what those struggles meant and why they helped inspire us about the struggles left yet to come,” said Goldberg.
“If you weren’t white and Christian, you had a very hard time becoming a teacher in L.A. Unified. We’re not proud of that history, but frankly, we’re celebrating the people who busted that history down,” she said.
“At least now, the district believes that we must be actively recruiting Black teachers. We knew that all along. But why now in particular? Because the research says that if a child in elementary school has even one Black teacher while they are in elementary school, they have a much greater chance of graduating high school and going to college. That alone is the reason why we must continue to hire more and more persons of color in general, but particularly Black teachers,” declared Goldberg, who added that hiring more Black teachers is a part of remembering Bessie’s courage.
Burke retired from the Los Angeles Board of Education in 1955 and passed away in 1968. Burke is remembered as a distinguished humanitarian and well-respected educator and administrator. She served in a number of civic organizations including, the YWCA, Native California Club, and the NAACP. Burke was also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
