Billy G. Mills
Billy G. Mills | |
---|---|
8th district | |
In office July 1, 1963 – April 11, 1974 | |
Preceded by | Gordon Hahn |
Succeeded by | Robert C. Farrell |
Personal details | |
Born | Waco, Texas | November 19, 1929
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse |
Rubye Maurine Jackson
(m. 1953) |
Billy Gene Mills (born November 19, 1929) is a retired
Biography
Mills was born on November 19, 1929, in
He was married on June 20, 1953, to Rubye Maurine Jackson of Texarkana, Texas. They had twin daughters, Karen and Karol, and three sons, Wiliam Karl, John Stewart and James Edward. The children established the Dr. Rubye and Judge Billy G. Mills Scholarship at UCLA to offer graduates of LA public schools studying political science seeking financial aid.[5]
In 1966 they were living at 3621 Third Avenue in the Jefferson Park district.[3]
City Council
Elections
Mills was elected to
He and
In 1968 Mills ran unsuccessfully for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, challenging the incumbent, Kenneth Hahn.
Highlights
- Yorty. Even though Mills had supported Mayor Sam Yorty in the 1965 election against James Roosevelt,[7] once Mills was elected, Yorty "bitterly assailed" the new councilman's spending on new furnishings for his City Hall and district offices. The mayor turned down Mills' "latest request—$126 for a 'reverse' telephone directory." Mills replied that his offices had been neglected in the past and there was some "catching up" to do.[8] After Yorty vetoed additional expenditures for Mills's office three months later, Mills said of the mayor: "After many years of public office, his prejudices are beginning to show. This man's sanity is . . . in question."[9]
- Police. In April 1964 Mills maintained that he had been stopped by the police seventeen times since the preceding July because he was "spotted driving a city car at night." He declined to label the incidents as "mistreatment." Mayor Yorty said he thought that Mills's statement was "exaggerated" and that it was not factual, adding: "If he was stopped once I'd be surprised."[10]
Watts riots
Meeting
On Wednesday evening, August 11, 1965, a large-scale civil disturbance broke out in the Watts district of Los Angeles and spread within a few days to other parts of the city. Thirty -four people were killed, 1,032 injured, and 3,438 arrested. It was the most severe riot in the city's history to that time. Mills called a meeting of community and "indigenous" leaders in the City Council chambers on Saturday morning "to hear comments from anyone connected with the disturbances so city officials can begin getting at the causes of the riots."[11] Staff writer Paul Beck of the Los Angeles Times, reported:
Mills' decision to hold the meeting came in the face of warnings from other councilmen that it could cause serious problems and do no good in calming those involved. . . . "I can imagine the drapes being torn down and the furniture slashed," said Councilman John C. Holland."[11]
Police probe
Mills demanded an investigation of the role of the Los Angeles Police Department in the riots and asked Mayor Yorty to issue an executive order that would prevent Chief William H. Parker and other department heads from making public statements without clearing them first with the mayor or appropriate governing boards. He said the Los Angeles police were "rendered totally inept" after the rioting had started.[12]
On September 8, 1965, Mills "directed" Chief Parker to appear before him "in person" to explain a raid on a
The councilman said he had information that the mosque raid was "deliberately provoked" by false phone calls that Negroes were carrying guns into the building. He was critical of heavy police gunfire and claimed that the officers "were trying to destroy" two buildings on the property. Deputy Police Chief Thomas Reddin responded that "large-scale force was necessary to overcome large-scale resistance."[14] Mills later submitted a report suggesting that a fire set inside the mosque could have been done by police as an act of "hostility."[15]
Inquests
Mills was critical of the coroner's inquests that were held after the riots. He said they were "attempts to justify the shooting of elderly citizens, unarmed youths and innocent bystanders." Twenty-six of the riot deaths were ruled justifiable homicide, one was accidental and five were criminal.[16]
Democratic Party
By a three-vote margin, Mills in 1966 was elected the first black chairman of the Democratic County Central Committee over fellow Councilman
Run for Congress
Mills ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1972, losing in the primary to Yvonne Brathwaite Burke.[18]
Superior Court
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On April 3, 1974, Governor Reagan appointed Mills to the
References
Access to some Los Angeles Times links may require the use of a library card.
- ^ Southern Campus. Los Angeles, CA: University of California. 1951. p. 82.
- ^ a b Carroll, Gina L. (1985). "The Honorable Billy G. Mills" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-08-10.
- ^ a b Los Angeles Public Library reference file
- ^ "10 More Aspirants File for Bench in June Vote," Los Angeles Times, March 3, 1962, page B-2
- ^ "Dr. Rubye and Judge Billy G. Mills Scholarship - University of California-Los Angeles Scholarships". ucla.academicworks.com. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
- ^ Ruben Salazar, " 'Cheek Turned,' Says New City Councilman," Los Angeles Times, May 30, 1963, page A-1
- ^ "Paper Backing Yorty Halted by Court Order," Los Angeles Times, March 25, 1965, page B-1
- ^ "Yorty Assails Councilman on Office Costs," Los Angeles Times, December 28, 1963, page A-10
- ^ Erwin Baker, "Indignant Councilman Doubts Yorty's Sanity," Los Angeles Times, March 3, 1964, page 3
- ^ Erwin Baker, "Yorty Strongly Backs Police Actions in Southside Clashes,": Los Angeles Times, April 16, 1964, page A-1
- ^ a b Paul Beck, "Mills Asks Leaders of Riot Areas to City Hall," Los Angeles Times, August 14, 1965, page 12
- ^ Harry Trimborn, "CHP Riot Probe," Los Angeles Times, August 30, 1965, page 27
- ^ Erwin Baker, "Mills Tells Parker to Explain Raid," Los Angeles Times, September 9, 1965, page 3
- ^ Erwin Baker, "Bullhorn Used in Riot Called Tool of Police," Los Angeles Times, September 16, 1965, page 3
- ^ Erwin Baker, "Police May Have Set Muslim Fire, Mills Suggests," Los Angeles Times, November 23, 1965, page A=1
- ^ " 'White Wash' Charged in Inquests on Riot," Los Angeles Times, October 23, 1965, page 15
- ^ Richard Bergholz, "1st Negro Chosen Head of County Democratic Unit," Los Angeles Times, July 13, 1966, page 3
- ^ "JoinCalifornia - Yvonne Brathwaite Burke".
- ^ Richard West, "Reagan Picks Councilman Mills for Vacancy on Superior Court," Los Angeles Times, April 4, 1974, page C-1