Carl C. Rasmussen
Encyclopedia
Carl Christian Rasmussen (1901–52) was a Lutheran minister who was also a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council between 1939 and 1947.
, the son of Rasmus S. and Mary Elizabeth Rasmussen, both of Denmark.
When Carl Christian was sixteen years old, he borrowed "a hundred dollars" to attend a barber
college, after which he used the proceeds from barbering to finish South High School (Minneapolis) and Minneapolis Business College. He was first a retail clerk, then a salesman for a Minneapolis hardware
firm and then purchasing agent for a wholesale
house. He worked for a subsidiary of International Harvester
as a traveler in three Midwestern
states and then in 1923 became part owner of a retail hardware business in Lakeside, California
.
He studied for the Danish Lutheran ministry at Grand View College
in Des Moines, Iowa, from 1927 to 1930, after which he held three pastorates
—in Viborg, South Dakota
; Salinas, California
, and finally the Emanuel Danish Lutheran Church of Los Angeles.
Rasmussen was married to Clara Margaret of Arco, Minnesota
, on May 21, 1922. They had three children—Miriam Eileen, Ralph Christian and Alvin or Alvind Carl—and lived in Los Angeles at 4308 Third Avenue in a Leimert Park area house he owned adjoining his church.
He died at the age of 51 on November 14, 1952, in his home at 1019 Verdugo Road, Burbank.
In the early 1940s, the Los Angeles City Council District 7 was bounded on the west by Crenshaw Boulevard, on the north by Exposition Boulevard, on the east by the city boundary with Vernon
and on the south by Vernon Avenue. In 1947 it was noted that the district's population was "nearly 50 per cent Negro."
Rasmussen's predecessor, Howard W. Davis
, had been the representative in the 7th almost continuously since 1927, but in February 1939, a grand jury
, at the instigation of District Attorney Buron Fitts
, voted 38 charges of misconduct against him. After trial, Superior Judge Raymond McIntosh ruled in favor of Davis and exonerated him.
In the primary election the Tuesday after the court decision, Davis was eliminated from the field, placing third after Negro newspaper publisher Leon H. Washington Jr., first, and Rasmussen, second. Rasmussen won the seat over Washington in the May final election.
Two years later, Davis attempted a comeback, but Rasmussen beat him in the final. In 1943 Rasmussen won a primary-election victory over Charlotta Bass
, also a Negro newspaper publisher, and in 1945 he gained another victory over Mrs. Bass, this time in the final.
He lost his councilmanic seat to Don A. Allen
in 1947.
to proclaim a Moral Rearmament Week failed in April 1940. with Councilman Arthur E. Briggs
declaring that the program was "not a governmental matter, but one of personal interest and entirely outside the sphere" of the council.
Negro council district. He proposed that the 8th District
be enlarged with slices from two other districts so that it would have a majority of Negroes, who, he said in December 1940, represented 7% of the city population and who should "be given representation according to their own desire, in the interest of democracy." The proposal was rejected the next week, although Assembly Member Augustus Hawkins appeared at the council meeting to speak in favor of it.
Communists. Rasmussen at first opposed an April 1941 proposal by Roy Hampton
that "numerous complaints of Communistic activities by city employees have been made known to Councilmen, and that a fair and impartial investigation should be conducted." Rasmussen said it was a "dastardly plot" against his reelection campaign and that he was "sick and tired of being tagged as a Communist." He later voted for the probe.
In 1947 Rasmussen joined with Councilmen Lloyd Davies and Ed J. Davenport in advocating the outlawing of the Communist Party.
Made in Japan. In March 1942 he introduced a proposal making it unlawful to sell "patriotic emblems" like American flags which actually had been made in Japan unless express permission was given by the Social Service Commission. The motion passed unanimously.
Slapped. Rasmussen was struck in the face by Council Member Ira J. McDonald
over a dispute about raising city wages. They shook hands later in the same December 1942 meeting, but McDonald nevertheless issued a press statement saying that:
Horse meat. During a City Council discussion in the midst of World War II meat rationing over whether to adopt an ordinance requiring that charcoal be added to all horse meat
offered for sale in the city, Rasmussen revealed he had served "dinner filets" made of horse meat to his guests and "they said they were delicious." He added: "I gave one of the steaks to the Mayor [Bowron], but he said his wife was out of town and he had to feed it to the dog."
Bill of Rights. 1943 He fought for a December 1943 resolution honoring Bill of Rights
Week that would put the council on record as opposed to discrimination "against minority groups" and encouraging broadest "racial" unity. Other members of the council objected to those two terms, and, after a two-hour debate, they were eventually deleted and the motion was adopted, 10-5, in opposition to any form of discrimination and in favor of general unity and tolerance.
Biography
Rasmussen was born on May 12, 1901, in Tyler, Lincoln County, MissouriLincoln County, Missouri
As of the census of 2000, there were 38,944 people, 13,851 households, and 10,554 families residing in the county. The population density was 62 people per square mile . There were 15,511 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
, the son of Rasmus S. and Mary Elizabeth Rasmussen, both of Denmark.
When Carl Christian was sixteen years old, he borrowed "a hundred dollars" to attend a barber
Barber
A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....
college, after which he used the proceeds from barbering to finish South High School (Minneapolis) and Minneapolis Business College. He was first a retail clerk, then a salesman for a Minneapolis hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
firm and then purchasing agent for a wholesale
Wholesale
Wholesaling, jobbing, or distributing is defined as the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional, or other professional business users, or to other wholesalers and related subordinated services...
house. He worked for a subsidiary of International Harvester
International Harvester
International Harvester Company was a United States agricultural machinery, construction equipment, vehicle, commercial truck, and household and commercial products manufacturer. In 1902, J.P...
as a traveler in three Midwestern
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
states and then in 1923 became part owner of a retail hardware business in Lakeside, California
Lakeside, California
Lakeside is a Census Designated Place in San Diego County, California. The population was 20,648 at the 2010 census, up from 19,560 as of the 2000 census.- History :...
.
He studied for the Danish Lutheran ministry at Grand View College
Grand View College
Grand View University is a four-year, liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Founded in 1896, the college is located in Des Moines, Iowa and hosts 2,000 students in 38 undergraduate majors, seven certificate programs, two post-baccalaureate certificates,...
in Des Moines, Iowa, from 1927 to 1930, after which he held three pastorates
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
—in Viborg, South Dakota
Viborg, South Dakota
Viborg is a city in Turner County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 782 at the 2010 census.Founded by Danish-Americans, the city is most likely named after the Danish city of Viborg...
; Salinas, California
Salinas, California
Salinas is the county seat and the largest municipality of Monterey County, California. Salinas is located east-southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River, at an elevation of about 52 feet above sea level. The population was 150,441 at the 2010 census...
, and finally the Emanuel Danish Lutheran Church of Los Angeles.
Rasmussen was married to Clara Margaret of Arco, Minnesota
Arco, Minnesota
Arco is a township in Lincoln County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 75 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, on May 21, 1922. They had three children—Miriam Eileen, Ralph Christian and Alvin or Alvind Carl—and lived in Los Angeles at 4308 Third Avenue in a Leimert Park area house he owned adjoining his church.
He died at the age of 51 on November 14, 1952, in his home at 1019 Verdugo Road, Burbank.
Elections
See also List of Los Angeles municipal election returns, 1939–47In the early 1940s, the Los Angeles City Council District 7 was bounded on the west by Crenshaw Boulevard, on the north by Exposition Boulevard, on the east by the city boundary with Vernon
Vernon, California
Vernon is a city five miles south of downtown Los Angeles, California. The population was 112 at the 2010 United States Census, the smallest of any incorporated city in the state....
and on the south by Vernon Avenue. In 1947 it was noted that the district's population was "nearly 50 per cent Negro."
Rasmussen's predecessor, Howard W. Davis
Howard W. Davis
Howard W. Davis was a member of the California State Assembly for two years and of the Los Angeles City Council for 16 years. He was indicted on charges of accepting bribes to influence his actions as a city official but was cleared on one count and never tried on the others, which were...
, had been the representative in the 7th almost continuously since 1927, but in February 1939, a grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
, at the instigation of District Attorney Buron Fitts
Buron Fitts
Buron Rogers Fitts was a California politician, who was the 29th Lieutenant Governor of the state from 1927 to 1928 and Los Angeles County district attorney thereafter until 1940....
, voted 38 charges of misconduct against him. After trial, Superior Judge Raymond McIntosh ruled in favor of Davis and exonerated him.
In the primary election the Tuesday after the court decision, Davis was eliminated from the field, placing third after Negro newspaper publisher Leon H. Washington Jr., first, and Rasmussen, second. Rasmussen won the seat over Washington in the May final election.
Two years later, Davis attempted a comeback, but Rasmussen beat him in the final. In 1943 Rasmussen won a primary-election victory over Charlotta Bass
Charlotta Bass
Charlotta Amanda Spears Bass was an American educator, newspaper publisher-editor, and civil rights activist. Bass was probably the first African-American woman to own and operate a newspaper in the United States; she published the California Eagle from 1912 until 1951...
, also a Negro newspaper publisher, and in 1945 he gained another victory over Mrs. Bass, this time in the final.
He lost his councilmanic seat to Don A. Allen
Don A. Allen
Not to be confused with Charles A. Allen, Los Angeles City Council member, 1941–47.Don A. Allen, also known as Don A. Allen, Sr., was a member of the California State Assembly in the 1940s and 1950s and of the Los Angeles City Council between 1947 and 1956.-Biography:Allen was born on May 13, 1900...
in 1947.
Positions
Moral Rearmament. Rasmussen's request that the council ask Mayor Fletcher BowronFletcher Bowron
Fletcher Bowron was the 35th Mayor of Los Angeles, California from September 26, 1938 until June 30, 1953. Until Thomas Bradley passed his length of service during the 1980s, Bowron held the distinction of having the longest tenure in that position in city history.Bowron was born in Poway,...
to proclaim a Moral Rearmament Week failed in April 1940. with Councilman Arthur E. Briggs
Arthur E. Briggs
Dr. Arthur Elbert Briggs was a teacher and law school dean who was a Los Angeles, California, City Council member from 1939 to 1941 and the leader of the Ethical Society of Los Angeles in 1953.-Biography:...
declaring that the program was "not a governmental matter, but one of personal interest and entirely outside the sphere" of the council.
Negro council district. He proposed that the 8th District
Los Angeles City Council District 8
Los Angeles City Council District 8 is one of the 15 districts of the Los Angeles City Council, covering much of South Los Angeles. The current council member is Bernard C. Parks....
be enlarged with slices from two other districts so that it would have a majority of Negroes, who, he said in December 1940, represented 7% of the city population and who should "be given representation according to their own desire, in the interest of democracy." The proposal was rejected the next week, although Assembly Member Augustus Hawkins appeared at the council meeting to speak in favor of it.
Communists. Rasmussen at first opposed an April 1941 proposal by Roy Hampton
Roy Hampton
Roy Hampton was an attorney, ex-Marine and former journalist who was a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council from 1939 to 1943...
that "numerous complaints of Communistic activities by city employees have been made known to Councilmen, and that a fair and impartial investigation should be conducted." Rasmussen said it was a "dastardly plot" against his reelection campaign and that he was "sick and tired of being tagged as a Communist." He later voted for the probe.
In 1947 Rasmussen joined with Councilmen Lloyd Davies and Ed J. Davenport in advocating the outlawing of the Communist Party.
Made in Japan. In March 1942 he introduced a proposal making it unlawful to sell "patriotic emblems" like American flags which actually had been made in Japan unless express permission was given by the Social Service Commission. The motion passed unanimously.
Slapped. Rasmussen was struck in the face by Council Member Ira J. McDonald
Ira J. McDonald
Ira J. McDonald was a Downey, California, attorney and City Council member in Los Angeles, California, between 1941 and 1945.-Biography:...
over a dispute about raising city wages. They shook hands later in the same December 1942 meeting, but McDonald nevertheless issued a press statement saying that:
Councilman Rasmussen is well known for bringing personalities into an argument and making insulting remarks. A few days ago he called me a vile and profane name. Today he again endeavored to make insulting remarks to me. I thought it time to show my disapproval and took direct action which any red-blooded man would do.
Horse meat. During a City Council discussion in the midst of World War II meat rationing over whether to adopt an ordinance requiring that charcoal be added to all horse meat
Horse meat
Horse meat is the culinary name for meat cut from a horse. It is a major meat in only a few countries, notably in Central Asia, but it forms a significant part of the culinary traditions of many others, from Europe to South America to Asia. The top eight countries consume about 4.7 million horses...
offered for sale in the city, Rasmussen revealed he had served "dinner filets" made of horse meat to his guests and "they said they were delicious." He added: "I gave one of the steaks to the Mayor [Bowron], but he said his wife was out of town and he had to feed it to the dog."
Bill of Rights. 1943 He fought for a December 1943 resolution honoring Bill of Rights
United States Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. These limitations serve to protect the natural rights of liberty and property. They guarantee a number of personal freedoms, limit the government's power in judicial and other proceedings, and...
Week that would put the council on record as opposed to discrimination "against minority groups" and encouraging broadest "racial" unity. Other members of the council objected to those two terms, and, after a two-hour debate, they were eventually deleted and the motion was adopted, 10-5, in opposition to any form of discrimination and in favor of general unity and tolerance.