Bridging the Divide: Tom Bradley and the Politics of Race

Mayor Bradley Brings Reform and Inclusion to Los Angeles

Bradley transformed L.A. from a provincial town to one of the most important cities in the world. Under his leadership, city government was open, responsive, accountable. He opened up City Hall jobs and commissions to women and minorities. He held regular Open Houses, listening to people’s concerns and enlisting community involvement. Bradley’s L.A. became a model of race relations and reform.

Mayor Bradley Brings Reform and Inclusion to Los Angeles

2m 34s

  • Full Episode: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Full Episode

    S1 E1 - 55m 40s

    Thirty-five years before Barack Obama’s election as President, the question of race and the possibility of bridging racial barriers were put to the test in an overlooked story in American politics: Tom Bradley’s 1973 election as Mayor of Los Angeles: The first African American mayor of a major U.S. city elected with an overwhelmingly white majority.

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