Mervyn Dymally (center) being recently honored by the California Legislative Black Caucus.
When Mervyn Dymally passed away Sunday, October 7 in Los Angeles, a true iconoclast was lost.
A native of Trinidad, Dymally didn’t simply bend but overwhelmingly shattered racial barriers in California politics, becoming the first foreign-born black state assemblyman in 1962, the first black state senator in 1966, California’s first black lieutenant governor in 1974, and the first foreign-born black to serve the House of Representatives, which he did as a representative of North Long Beach, Compton and other surrounding communities.
State Senator Roderick D. Wright stated in a release, “I worked with Mervyn Dymally, who was a friend and colleague. He was a true trail blazer in California politics.”
The transformational period he was involved in—including the reorganizing of the Democratic party to include and focus on black communities—helped him become one of the pioneering figures in minority politics.
9th District Councilmember Steve Neal, deeply saddened by Dymally’s passing, stated, “[He] represented my area as the first-foreign born black California Assemblymember in 1962… I first met him in 1978 as a high school senior when he was Lieuenant Governor and witnessed his impact on the lives of countless individuals.
“[K]nown as the ‘godfather’ of African American politics in Southern California[,] he opened the doors for African Americans in California politics and strongly believed in education and helping to those that came along after him. Although, no one can replace Mr. Dymally, together we can all strive to continue his model of leadership and dedication to the public.”
Congresswoman Laura Richardson, noting Dymally’s championing of education with the establishment of nursing school named after him at Charles Drew University and enlightening the U.S. on shifting more political focus on Africa and the Carribean, echoed the sentiment of Neal.
“Mr. Dymally was a trailblazer, who opened doors and mentored the next generation of political leaders, myself included. When I ran for the State Assembly in 2006, Mr. Dymally had the foresight to see the possibility of increasing African American leadership by 30% when percentages were dwindling all around the country. Merv legitimized our efforts, opened every door and succeeded by establishing the largest Legislative Black Caucus in California history coined the Divine Nine.”
Ten years following his retirement from from Congress, he was re-elected in 2002 to fill the same Assembly seat he had back in 1962 and served three terms. He was succeeded by Isadore Hall, III.
Dymally was 86-years-old when he passed this weekend. He is survived by his wife of over forty years, Alice, alone with his daughter Lynn, his son Mark, five siblings—Bing, Courtney, Hazel, Malcolm and Marjorie—as well as three grandchildren.