On May 29, 1973, Tom Bradley made history by becoming the first African American mayor elected in Los Angeles, defeating incumbent Sam Yorty with 56% of the vote.
His victory was groundbreaking, given the city’s predominantly white population at the time.
Bradley served from 1973 to 1993, making him the longest-serving mayor in L.A. history before term limits were introduced in 1990.
He ran for governor of California in 1982 and 1986 but lost both times to George Deukmejian.
His narrow 1982 loss led to the term “Bradley effect,” referring to discrepancies between voter polls and actual outcomes in elections involving minority candidates.
Bradley retired in 1993 and died in 1998 at age 80.
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