Mervyn M. Dymally, long time advocate for Colonel
Allensworth State Historic Park died on Sunday, October 7, 2012, after a period
of declining health.
On March 11, 1970 Senator Dymally introduced Senate Bill 557
that directed the Department of Parks and Recreation to study the feasibility
of including Allensworth in the state park system and to appoint a 25 member
advisory committee. On April 3, 1972
Senator Dymally introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 32 that requested that
the Department of Parks and Recreation actively pursue funding for the
acquisition of the historic town site of Allensworth.
In 2007 Assemblymember Dymally, chair of the Legislative Black
Caucus, spoke out against the mega-dairies scheduled to be built near Colonel Allensworth
State Historic Park. Dymally and the California
Legislative Black Caucus sponsored Assemblymember Wilmer Amina Carter’s
Assembly Bill 576 which would have created a 2.5 mile buffer around the park.
According to Cal State Los Angeles political scientist
Raphael J. Sonenshein , “Dymally built one of the most important black political
organizations in Los Angeles”. In 1962
Dymally was elected to the California State Assembly, in 1966 he became
California’s first and only black lieutenant governor. Dymally served as a U.S.
Congressman from 1981 to 1993. He was
chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and served as chairman of the
Congressional Black Caucus from 1987 to 1989.
In 2002 at age 76 Dymally was elected to fill the same
Assembly seat he won in 1962.
After learning of Dymally’s passing Congressman Charles B.Rangel said:
“I had the great honor of knowing and serving with Mervyn
while he served in Congress. I always
admired how tirelessly he worked to advocate for civil, economic and human rights
issues. I will never forget working with
Mervyn to pass the ‘Rangel Amendment’ in the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act
of 1986 to end apartheid in South Africa.”
Dymally is survived by his wife of 44 years, Alice Dymally;
his daughter Lynn Dymally; his son Mark; and three sisters.
We will always remember Mervyn Dymally’s unending dedication
to Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park.
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