Black History Exhibition The Rotunda of Doheny Memorial
Library
February 14, 2003 through March 30, 2003
The 8th Annual "Trojans of Ebony
Hue"
Yvonne
Brathwaite Burke, A Life of Politics
FREE TO THE PUBLIC!!!!!
Yvonne
Brathwaite Burke: A Life in Politics is an engaging exhibition
that illustrates this pioneering Attorney's contributions to Los
Angeles communities and the principles that first attracted her to
the political arena, civil rights and service to communities. Based
on an interview, Burke's papers (1966-1980) including, newspaper
articles, ephemera, and photographs archived at the University of
Southern California's Doheny Library, and her personal papers, the
exhibition illustrates her achievements as a Black person and a
woman. A graduate of USC's School of Law in 1956, Burke continues to
be an important political force in the Los Angeles area. (For
a more extended biography click here...)
A
biographical exhibition with a spans the life of Ms. Burke
concentrating on her family life as a student in the Los Angeles
Unified School District to her firsts including:
Accomplishments as a Black person
and a Black woman
A lawyer and assemblyperson
First Black to be elected to
serve on the Los Angeles county Board of Supervisors
First woman elected to the U.S.
Congress from California
First Black to serve as Chair of
the L.A. County Board of Supervisors
Lizzetta LeFalle-Collins Ph.D, Curator
Tyson Gaskill, Exhibition Manager, USC Libraries
Graphic Design: David Mellen Design
Lura Ball '79, Director, USC Office of Black Alumni Programs
Joyce Sumbi '60, USC BAA History Chair
Lizzetta LeFalle-Collins
owner of LeFalle Curatorial
Lizzetta LeFalle-Collins is an independent scholar/art historian/curator and owner of LeFalle Curatorial a curatorial and research firm in Oakland, CA. She earned her Ph.D. in the History of Art from the University of California, Los Angeles with an emphasis on American Modernism. Her present research focuses on painting and assemblage art from the 1960s forward.
Jerry D. Campbell
Chief Information Officer and Dean of the USC Libraries.
Welcome
to the Eighth Annual USC Black History Month exhibition. Each year,
USC Information Services partners with the USC Black Alumni
Association (BAA) to celebrate the university's African-American
alumni, their achievements and their contributions to Los Angeles
and the nation. This year, we are pleased to recognize USC School of
Law alumna Yvonne Brathwaite Burke with an exhibit that comprises a
fascinating array of letters, photos, newspaper articles,
memorabilia and more.
As an attorney, congresswoman and
current chair of the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, Mrs. Burke
has dedicated her career to helping the underserved and
underprivileged in terms of economic empowerment and development,
care and education of children, and environmental issues. Her
pioneering efforts as both a woman and a Black person have touched
the lives of countless individuals in California and the nation.
Upon graduating the USC Law School,
Mrs. Burke faced blatant hiring discrimination and so opened her own
private practice. She quickly became involved in some of the most
pressing issues of the day, especially in the area of civil rights,
for which she became a powerful advocate after the 1965 Watts Riots.
Burke served as a California state assemblywoman from 1966-1972, a
time when very few women held public office, and from 1972 to 1978
represented the 28th congressional district in Washington. As a
congresswoman, she was at the vanguard of civil rights and
environmental protection issues and pioneered legislation that
provided new opportunities for minority-owned businesses everywhere.
These and other achievements come to
life in our exhibit, Yvonne Brathwaite Burke: A Life in Politics.
The letters, photographs and personal papers on display provide a
compelling glimpse into the life of one of California's most
respected political figures. I hope you will take the time to peruse
all of the items, and to consider the achievements of this USC
alumna who continues to serve as an inspiration and role model for
people of every color and persuasion to this day.
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Yvonne
Brathwaite Burke: A Life in Politics is an engaging exhibition
that illustrates this pioneering Attorney's contributions to Los
Angeles communities and the principles that first attracted her to
the political arena, civil rights and service to communities. Based
on an interview, Burke's papers (1966-1980) including, newspaper
articles, ephemera, and photographs archived at the University of
Southern California's Doheny Library, and her personal papers, the
exhibition illustrates her achievements as a Black person and a
woman. A graduate of USC's School of Law in 1956, Burke continues to
be an important political force in the Los Angeles area. (
Lizzetta LeFalle-Collins is an independent scholar/art historian/curator and owner of LeFalle Curatorial a curatorial and research firm in Oakland, CA. She earned her Ph.D. in the History of Art from the University of California, Los Angeles with an emphasis on American Modernism. Her present research focuses on painting and assemblage art from the 1960s forward.
Welcome
to the Eighth Annual USC Black History Month exhibition. Each year,
USC Information Services partners with the USC Black Alumni
Association (BAA) to celebrate the university's African-American
alumni, their achievements and their contributions to Los Angeles
and the nation. This year, we are pleased to recognize USC School of
Law alumna Yvonne Brathwaite Burke with an exhibit that comprises a
fascinating array of letters, photos, newspaper articles,
memorabilia and more.