Tom Bradley (American politician)

Tom Bradley (American politician)
Name	Tom Bradley
Caption	Official portrait, 1973
Order	38th
Office	Mayor of Los Angeles
Term start	July 1, 1973
Term end	July 1, 1993
Predecessor	Sam Yorty
Successor	Richard Riordan
Birth name	Thomas Bradley
Birth date	29 December 1917
Birth place	Calvert, Texas, U.S.
Death date	29 September 1998
Death place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Ethel Arnold, 1941
Education	University of California, Los Angeles (BA)
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Army
Serviceyears	1941–1943
Rank	First Lieutenant

Tom Bradley (American politician) was an American politician and police officer who served as the 38th Mayor of Los Angeles for an unprecedented five terms from 1973 to 1993. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American mayor of the city, and his 20-year tenure oversaw a period of immense growth and transformation, including the 1984 Summer Olympics. Bradley's career, which also included service on the Los Angeles City Council, broke significant racial barriers in California politics and left a lasting legacy on the city's infrastructure and international profile.

Early life and education

Thomas Bradley was born on December 29, 1917, in the rural community of Calvert, Texas, to Lee Thomas Bradley and Crenner Hawkins, who were sharecroppers. In 1924, his family joined the Great Migration, relocating to the Temple-Beaudry neighborhood of Los Angeles. He attended Polytechnic High School, where he excelled in track and field, setting a city record in the 440-yard dash. Bradley then attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) on a track scholarship, where he joined the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in education in 1940. His time at UCLA was interrupted by a brief stint in the United States Army as a First Lieutenant during World War II.

Police career

In 1940, Bradley joined the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), facing the pervasive discrimination common within the force at the time. He rose through the ranks over a 21-year career, eventually achieving the rank of lieutenant, one of the highest ranks held by an African American officer at that time. While serving in the Newton Division, he attended Southwestern Law School at night, earning his Juris Doctor degree in 1956. His experiences with institutional bias within the LAPD profoundly shaped his perspective and later political agenda concerning police reform and community relations.

Political career

Frustrated by the limitations for advancement within the LAPD, Bradley retired in 1961 to pursue a career in law and politics. In 1963, he successfully ran for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council, representing the 10th District, which included the Crenshaw district. His election made him the first African American member of the Los Angeles City Council in the modern era. During his tenure on the council, which lasted until 1973, he championed policies related to fair housing, economic development, and improved public transportation, building a broad coalition of support.

1973 and 1982 mayoral elections

In 1969, Bradley first challenged incumbent Mayor Sam Yorty, losing a racially charged election where Yorty employed a strategy of fear. Bradley ran again in 1973, focusing on a platform of unity, reform, and competence, and decisively defeated Yorty to become mayor. His victory was a landmark event for African Americans in urban politics. A decade later, in 1982, he was the Democratic nominee for Governor of California, narrowly losing to the Republican candidate, George Deukmejian, in a closely watched national race.

Mayor of Los Angeles

Bradley's 20-year administration was defined by major economic development and the physical transformation of Los Angeles. He presided over a dramatic expansion of the city's skyline, fostering the growth of its downtown financial district. His most notable achievement was securing and overseeing the highly successful 1984 Summer Olympics, which were held without public debt. He expanded Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and the city's bus system, and worked to increase international trade, particularly with the Pacific Rim. His later terms were challenged by civil unrest, most severely the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which followed the acquittal of police officers in the Rodney King beating case and highlighted enduring tensions between the LAPD and minority communities.

Later life and death

After choosing not to seek a sixth term in 1993, Bradley remained active in civic life, serving on corporate boards and working with organizations like the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. His health declined following a stroke in 1996. Tom Bradley died on September 29, 1998, at the age of 80 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. In recognition of his legacy, the Los Angeles City Council renamed the city's central Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX in his honor, and a statue of him was erected at Los Angeles City Hall.

Category:1917 births Category:1998 deaths Category:Mayors of Los Angeles Category:African-American politicians