Joe E. Hollingsworth
Encyclopedia
Joseph E. Hollingsworth who went by Joe E. Hollingsworth, was appointed in 1961 to replace Charles Navarro
as Los Angeles City Council member for the racially mixed 10th district
. He served for two years until he was ousted by retired policeman and future mayor Tom Bradley
. He was the last Caucasian council member from that district.
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Hollingsworth, born on August 25, 1908, was the son of Anna Hollingsworth Bostic, who immigrated from Germany. A native of Los Angeles, he lived with his family at 5483 Village Green and was "active in youth work"; in 1961 he was a construction supervisor for the Baldwin Hills Company, developer of Baldwin Hills Estates. His wife was Alice and his children were Joe Jr. and Alison. In 1969 he was named a vice president of Los Angeles Federal Savings. He was a veteran of World War II and co-founded Baldwin Hills Post 706 of the American Legion
. He co-founded the Southern California Pop Warner
Football Federation.
Hollingsworth died November 12, 1975; funeral services were held in Inglewood
on November 15.
In June 1961 Hollingsworth and 10 other people applied for the 10th District councilmanic position left vacant by the election of the incumbent, Charles Navarro
, as city controller. Eventually there were more than 30 candidates. Although Mayor Sam Yorty had favored appointment of a Negro
in the district, a council committee unanimously recommended 52-year-old Hollingsworth, a Caucasian
, and the City Council followed suit on August 25, 1961, by a vote of 8 to 6, "after a stormy 2-1/2-hour council session."
One of his first acts was to appoint Cage S. Johnson, 49, a "restaurant service supervisor and part-time television actor," as the "first Negro to serve as field secretary to a City Council member," but nevertheless a recall
drive was organized at a community meeting, with H.H. Brookins named as chair. Brookins said that 16 applicants for city councilman were Negroes and that the council, by appointing Hollingsworth, "had dealt the Negro community a fast shuffle
." The recall petitions were rejected by a court "because they failed to list the voter registration number and the date of registration of the persons who circulated them."
At the next election, in April 1963, there were only two candidates, Hollingsworth and Tom Bradley
, and also two elections — one for the unexpired term left by Controller Navarro, ending June 30, and one for a full four-year term starting July 1. Bradley won by 17,760 votes to 10,540 in the first election and by 17,552 votes to 10,400 in the second. Hollingsworth's last day in office was April 12, 1963. He was the last Caucasian council member from the 10th District.
Charles Navarro
Charles Navarro , born Charles Navarro Guarino, was a Los Angeles, California, City Council member between 1951 and 1961 and city controller from 1961 to 1977.-Biography:...
as Los Angeles City Council member for the racially mixed 10th district
Los Angeles City Council District 10
Los Angeles City Council District 10 is one of the 15 districts of the Los Angeles City Council. It includes parts of Palms, Koreatown and South Los Angeles. Herb Wesson has been the incumbent since 2005....
. He served for two years until he was ousted by retired policeman and future mayor Tom Bradley
Tom Bradley (politician)
Thomas J. "Tom" Bradley was the 38th Mayor of Los Angeles, California, serving in that office from 1973 to 1993. He was the first and to date only African American mayor of Los Angeles...
. He was the last Caucasian council member from that district.
Biography
Hollingsworth, born on August 25, 1908, was the son of Anna Hollingsworth Bostic, who immigrated from Germany. A native of Los Angeles, he lived with his family at 5483 Village Green and was "active in youth work"; in 1961 he was a construction supervisor for the Baldwin Hills Company, developer of Baldwin Hills Estates. His wife was Alice and his children were Joe Jr. and Alison. In 1969 he was named a vice president of Los Angeles Federal Savings. He was a veteran of World War II and co-founded Baldwin Hills Post 706 of the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
. He co-founded the Southern California Pop Warner
Pop Warner
Pop Warner refers to*Glenn Scobey "Pop" Warner, an early 20th century American college football coach*Pop Warner Little Scholars, a non-profit organization named after the coach that offers youth American football and cheerleading & dance programs...
Football Federation.
Hollingsworth died November 12, 1975; funeral services were held in Inglewood
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
on November 15.
Political career
See also List of Los Angeles Municipal Election Returns, 1963.In June 1961 Hollingsworth and 10 other people applied for the 10th District councilmanic position left vacant by the election of the incumbent, Charles Navarro
Charles Navarro
Charles Navarro , born Charles Navarro Guarino, was a Los Angeles, California, City Council member between 1951 and 1961 and city controller from 1961 to 1977.-Biography:...
, as city controller. Eventually there were more than 30 candidates. Although Mayor Sam Yorty had favored appointment of a Negro
Negro
The word Negro is used in the English-speaking world to refer to a person of black ancestry or appearance, whether of African descent or not...
in the district, a council committee unanimously recommended 52-year-old Hollingsworth, a Caucasian
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
, and the City Council followed suit on August 25, 1961, by a vote of 8 to 6, "after a stormy 2-1/2-hour council session."
One of his first acts was to appoint Cage S. Johnson, 49, a "restaurant service supervisor and part-time television actor," as the "first Negro to serve as field secretary to a City Council member," but nevertheless a recall
Recall election
A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended...
drive was organized at a community meeting, with H.H. Brookins named as chair. Brookins said that 16 applicants for city councilman were Negroes and that the council, by appointing Hollingsworth, "had dealt the Negro community a fast shuffle
Shuffle
Shuffling is a procedure used to randomize a deck of playing cards to provide an element of chance in card games. Shuffling is often followed by a cut, to help ensure that the shuffler has not manipulated the outcome.-Shuffling techniques:...
." The recall petitions were rejected by a court "because they failed to list the voter registration number and the date of registration of the persons who circulated them."
At the next election, in April 1963, there were only two candidates, Hollingsworth and Tom Bradley
Tom Bradley (politician)
Thomas J. "Tom" Bradley was the 38th Mayor of Los Angeles, California, serving in that office from 1973 to 1993. He was the first and to date only African American mayor of Los Angeles...
, and also two elections — one for the unexpired term left by Controller Navarro, ending June 30, and one for a full four-year term starting July 1. Bradley won by 17,760 votes to 10,540 in the first election and by 17,552 votes to 10,400 in the second. Hollingsworth's last day in office was April 12, 1963. He was the last Caucasian council member from the 10th District.