Laurance L. Cross
Encyclopedia
Laurance L. Cross was a Presbyterian minister and Mayor of Berkeley, California
from 1947 to 1955.
Cross was born in Gastonburg, Alabama
. His father and two brothers were also pastors. One of his nephews is Frank M. Cross of Harvard Divinity School
, a member of the team which interpreted the Dead Sea Scrolls
.
From 1924 to his death in 1966, Cross headed the Northbrae Community Church located on The Alameda between Los Angeles and Solano Avenue
s.
As Mayor, Cross was noted for his solid support of civil rights
. On May 23, 1952, for example, he spoke out on behalf of Paul Robeson
’s right to appear on Bay Area stages, a position which put him at odds with San Francisco Mayor Elmer Robinson
.
In 1954, he was suggested as a Democratic
candidate for Governor of California
, but narrowly lost the nomination to Richard Graves at the state party convention.
Cross married Erma Gilbert in 1920. They had six children.
He died in 1966 and was interred in his family's burial plot in Birmingham, Alabama
. His wife died at the age of 99 on April 22, 1990.
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
from 1947 to 1955.
Cross was born in Gastonburg, Alabama
Gastonburg, Alabama
Gastonburg is an unincorporated community in Wilcox County, Alabama. It is located on Alabama State Route 5.-Geography:Gastonburg is located at and has an elevation of ....
. His father and two brothers were also pastors. One of his nephews is Frank M. Cross of Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. The School's mission is to train and educate its students either in the academic study of religion, or for the practice of a religious ministry or other public...
, a member of the team which interpreted the Dead Sea Scrolls
Dead Sea scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of 972 texts from the Hebrew Bible and extra-biblical documents found between 1947 and 1956 on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, from which they derive their name...
.
From 1924 to his death in 1966, Cross headed the Northbrae Community Church located on The Alameda between Los Angeles and Solano Avenue
Solano Avenue
Solano Avenue in Berkeley and Albany, California is a two mile long east-west street. Solano Avenue is one of the larger shopping districts in the Berkeley area...
s.
As Mayor, Cross was noted for his solid support of civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
. On May 23, 1952, for example, he spoke out on behalf of Paul Robeson
Paul Robeson
Paul Leroy Robeson was an American concert singer , recording artist, actor, athlete, scholar who was an advocate for the Civil Rights Movement in the first half of the twentieth century...
’s right to appear on Bay Area stages, a position which put him at odds with San Francisco Mayor Elmer Robinson
Elmer Robinson
Elmer Edwin Robinson was the 33rd mayor of San Francisco, California. A Republican, he served as San Francisco's mayor from January 1948 until January 1956....
.
In 1954, he was suggested as a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate for Governor of California
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
, but narrowly lost the nomination to Richard Graves at the state party convention.
Cross married Erma Gilbert in 1920. They had six children.
He died in 1966 and was interred in his family's burial plot in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. His wife died at the age of 99 on April 22, 1990.