Berkeley, CA 94703
USA
Food, documentary screenings, music, art and sculpture unveiling.
Join neighbors for an afternoon block party honoring Berkeley civil rights leader William Byron Rumford.
This free public event will feature music, food, film screenings, kids’ activities and festivities aimed at building community by celebrating the life and legacy of Mr. Rumford, a key player in the Civil Rights movement in California.
Mr. Rumford (1908-1986) was the first African American elected to a state public office in Northern California. Among other achievements as a California Assembly member
, he authored groundbreaking legislation which banned discrimination in employment (1959) and housing (1963). These laws helped to pave the way for similar federal legislation. In addition to his public service at the state level, Rumford played an integral role in the South Berkeley community where he lived for 50 years. He owned and operated a pharmacy at 2960 Sacramento Street from 1942 until 1981 which now houses a clinic named in his honor.