Conversations@CAAM May 16, 2009

Rita D. Walters
First African American Los Angeles City Councilwoman

Rita Walters made history by becoming the first Los Angeles African American City Councilwoman when she was elected in 1991. She represented the dynamic 9th Council District, with a population over 260,000 that covers much of South Central Los Angeles, most of downtown and Little Tokyo. Re-elected in 1993 and 1997, she left office in 2001 due to term limits. Initiatives that she implemented include establishing the 9th District Dash shuttle and a Community Redevelopment Agency Recovery Area. She also led the fight against the over concentration of liquor stores in South Central.

Prior to her Council service, Rita Walters was a member of the Los Angeles Board of Education for twelve years. In 1982, she garnered much national recognition for legislation mandating a "C" grade point average/ no fail grade policy for students pursuing extra-curricular activates that set a national precedent.

This public interview of Ms. Walters is a part of our oral history project being conducted by the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA and the California African America Museum in association with the UCLA Center of Oral History Research and funded by generous grant from the UCLA Center for Community Partnership.

For more info, call: 213.744.7432, or visit www.caamuseum.org

Official Website: http://www.caamuseum.org/pp_3.htm