First Black Man to Hold L.A. Supervisor’s Seat

In this historic political year, history was made again on Monday when Mark Ridley-Thomas became the first black man to hold a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. He was sworn in on Dec. 1— the 53rd  Anniversary of the civil Rights Movement.

During the noon ceremony, surrounded by family, friends and hundreds of well wishers in the standing-room only Board of Supervisors hearing room, Supervisor Ridley-Thomas was officially sworn in as the Second District Supervisor, responsible for a geographic area of over 2.5 million residents, and the most diverse district in Los Angeles County with respect to ethnicity and socio-economic status.

Ridley-Thomas replaces outgoing Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke, who made history herself 16 years ago by becoming the district’s first female African American supervisor. The now-retired Burke was originally appointed to replace Supervisor Kenneth ahn, who served as supervisor for 40 years.

A veteran politician, Supervisor Ridley-Thomas wasted no time outlining his ambitious agenda to nearly 1200 supporters (500 listened in the overflow area outside). High on his list of priorities is healthcare, jobs, and public safety. In fact, he spent ime on his second official day in office visiting the now closed Martin Luther King, Jr. Hospital, and delivered his first public announcement outlining plans to restore full hospital and emergency room services in the area.

“The loss of hospital services in South Los Angeles has had a profound impact on this community where there continues to be a critical need,” Supervisor Ridley- Thomas said in his two-page motion. “The people of South Los Angeles need and deserve first-rate health care.” The Second Supervisorial District includes Carson, Compton, Culver City, Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lynwood, and portions of the City of Los Angeles and unincorporated sections of south and southwest Los Angeles County. Ridley-Thomas is a former state senator who served as councilmember of L.A.’s Eighth District. As the new Second District Supervisor, he vowed to make changes and called for more civic engagement, leadership and vision. He pledged to work closely with block clubs, neighborhood associations and councils to implement a better quality of life. “I intend to take the 20- year project of civic engagement, namely the Empowerment Congress (successfully implemented as a councilmember in the Eighth Council District) to a new llevel of activism for the people of the Second Supervisorial District. We can do this,
we will do this,” he said.  “This is a period for great change…And, together we are the keys to change.”