African American school principals of Los Angeles, 1962

Item Overview

Title

African American school principals of Los Angeles, 1962

Alternative title

Black educators and teachers in California

Photographer

Adams, Harry H., 1918-1988

Date Created

April 1962

Date

1962-04

Collection

Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

Notes

Description

Alma Willa Greene Covington, was an educator for 40 years and a principal for 17 in Los Angeles. She earned her degrees from the University of Southern California and the University of California Los Angeles. She participated in civic affairs and teacher recruitment. She was the daughter of Thomas A. Greene, and the wife of Floyd Covington Sr.
Dorothy Vena-Johnson founded the League of Allied Artists in 1939 with Juanita Miller. She was an organizer for the 12 Big Sisters Club in Los Angeles. She was also an educator, and poet.
Birdielee V. Bright, a Los Angeles educator for 41 years, was the principal of Avalon Gardens School in 1956. The 36th Street Elementary School was renamed the Birdielee V. Bright Elementary School, in her honor, in 1996.
Group portrait of principals of Los Angeles schools. From left: (2) Bessie Bruington Burke, (3) Edna Cohen, (4) Dorothy Vena Johnson, (5) Bernice Barnum, (6) Birdielee Bright, (7) Isaac McClelland, (9) Alma Covington, (10) Llewellyn A. Mazique, and (11) Sue Bowdoin
Isaac McClelland was a teacher and administrator for 33 years. He was the principal of Jordan High School (1955-1965). His last assignment was as Assistant Superintendent for Instruction. He was active in social and civic organizations to improve the quality of life for local youth. McClelland earned a B.A and M.A. from the University of California at Berkeley, and was a member of the Delta Epsilon fraternity. Because of the positive effect he had on the lives of African American youth, Links Incorporated created a memorial scholarship in his name.
Bessie Bruington Burke is recognized as the first black principal of a Los Angeles public school. She attended Los Angeles State Normal School (now part of UCLA) and earned her teaching credential in 1911. Her education was paid for by the Los Angeles Forum, a political and civic organization founded by African Americans in the early 20th century.
Edna M. Cohen was the principal of the 95th Street School in Los Angeles. She was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She was active in the civic life of the African American community, for example as a Cub Scout benefactor, and the 2nd Vice President of the Wilfandel Club.
Bernice Webb Barnum was the principal of Nevin Avenue School in Los Angeles. She earned a B.S. and an M.A. in Education at the University of Southern California. She was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She was active in the Wilfandel Women’s Club and was a member of Wesley Methodist Church.
Llewellyn A. Mazique was a teacher, vice-principal, principal and deputy regional administrator in Los Angeles for about 30 years. He was a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and the NAACP

Caption

Written on back of photo: L.A. Negro school principals and two school officials. April 1962. Photo by Harry Adams April 1962

Physical Description

Extent

1 photograph

Keywords

Genre

group portraits

Names

Barnum, Bernice W., 1903-1985
McClelland, Isaac H. (Isaac Holland), 1906-1988
Burke, Bessie Bruington, 1891-1968
Bowdoin, Sue
Cohen, Edna M., b. 1907 or 08
Johnson, Dorothy Vena, 1898-1970
Mazique, Llewellyn A. (Llewellyn Arnett), 1914-1994
Covington, Alma Greene, 1904-1995
Bright, Birdielee V. (Birdielee Ve Lores), 1911-2009
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

Subject Geographic

Los Angeles (Calif.)

Resource type

still image

Subjects

African American civic leaders
African American school principals
African American educators