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Beacon of Light
Robert Stokes was the first African American to settle in Riverside. He arrived in the 1870s.
Henry Bradley Gordon was Riverside’s first African American policeman. His son, Walter Gordon was the first African American policeman in Berkeley, California.
Alice Rowan Johnson, Riverside’s first African American teacher began teaching in Riverside in 1896. View her Teaching Credential.
A monthly Black newspaper was published between 1905 and 1906 called The Colored Citizen. The publication covered local events in the Riverside, Redlands, San Bernardino and Perris communities.
Oscar Stokes assisted his father, David Stokes in planting the first orange trees on the grounds of the University of California, Riverside Experimental Station in 1917.
Albert Strickland was a nationally known pitcher for the “Dukes” Baseball team.
John Allen had investments in the oil and stock markets in the 1920s.
Bob Boyd was one of the first 15 African American football players to play for the NFL. He played for the Los Angeles Rams for 8 seasons. His most spectacular season was in 1954, where he caught 53 passes for 1212 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Danny Culpepper’s restaurant was so lucrative he had to empty the cash register several times a day.
Wesley Decatur mortgaged his home to help build Park Avenue Baptist Church.
The girls baseball team at Lincoln Park was called the "Duchess". They were managed by Roy Taylor.
Oscar Harris had a Sanitation Business and owned between 15 and 20 trucks. He had a contract with the City of Riverside for many years.
The Stanley Y. Beverley Lodge located in Suisun City, CA, (named after Riverside’s Stanley Young Beverley) is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
"Sport", the Beverley family dog was often found sitting in the balcony during Sunday morning service at Park Avenue Baptist Church. It was not uncommon for Rev. Moss to stop his sermon and announce "Sport is here", then ask one of the family members to take him home.
Edgar Hayes is best remembered for his 1938 piano version of Hoagy Carmichael's famous hit, "Stardust".
One of the Reynold's brothers (Harold & Al) had his pilot's license and flew around Riverside. He once stated when he was flying he "felt free as a bird in the sky". The brothers also raced motorcycles at a Riverside track located at the old fairgrounds just north of Fairmont Park.
When Gay Beverley Caroline was 6 years old, Neil Clisby threw her in the swimming pool. That was the day she learned to swim!
During a visit to New York during WWII, Gay Beverley Caroline stepped into the elevator at the Theresa Hotel in New York's Harlem and faced a tall, handsome gentleman in full military regalia. They had a friendly chat. It was none other than Fidel Castro. Years later, he would visit the hotel again. Read more by clicking here.
John Dumas, the father of Elva Dumas, was the first known Black Electrical Linesman in Riverside.
Jackie Robinson spent his summers in Riverside and practiced at Evans Park on Brockton Avenue.
The first African Americans to become Riverside YMCA Board Members were Bertha Stratton and Eunice Coffee.
The Rumford Fair Housing Act was a law passed in 1963 by the State of California to end racial discrimination by property owners and landlords who refused to rent or sell their property to Blacks. It was drafted by William Byron Rumford, the first African American from Northern California to serve in the legislature.
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We only want, we only ask, that when we stand up and talk about one nation under God, liberty, justice for everybody, we only want to be able to look at the flag, put our right hand over our hearts, repeat those words, and know that they are true.
Barbara Jordan
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