Exposed: Black History L.A.

Gus Hawkins

Loren Miller, Gus Hawkins, Leon Washington, Los Angeles, 1962
Augustus "Gus" Hawkins (center) served as the first African American from California in the U.S Congress. He is most well known for authoring Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (prohibiting discrimination by employers on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.) He introduced fair housing acts, fair employment practices, low cost housing and disability insurance legislation, and provisions for workmen’s compensation. The Watts Riots occurred in his district. His family moved to Los Angeles in 1918 from Louisiana.

 

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