{"id":422,"date":"2026-07-05T21:12:29","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T16:12:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=422"},"modified":"2026-07-05T21:12:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T16:12:29","slug":"billy-g-mills-among-first-black-politicians-elected-to-l-a-city-council-dies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=422","title":{"rendered":"Billy G. Mills, among first Black politicians elected to L.A. City Council, dies"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p> Political forerunner Billy G. Mills, among the first Black council members elected in Los Angeles, has died. <\/p>\n<div data-element=\"story-body\" data-subscriber-content=\"\">\n<p>Billy G. Mills, a civil rights leader who was among the first Black men to serve on the Los Angeles City Council, has died.<\/p>\n<p>Mills, 96, died on June 27 after struggling with declining health, his son, James Edward Mills, confirmed. The elder statesman died peacefully at his home in Leimert Park, his son said.<\/p>\n<p>James, a journalist and founder of The Joy Trip Project, <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/joytripproject.com\/2026\/06\/in-honor-of-my-father\/\" target=\"_blank\">memorialized his father online<\/a>, where he shared a photo of his father shaking hands with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. He said the image highlights \u201cthe significance of those who work behind the scenes of world events that shape our reality.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe was the man who went to work every day. The man who expected his children to tell the truth, keep their word, and finish what they started,\u201d he wrote of his father. \u201cHe believed that integrity was something you practiced when no one was watching.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mills worked as a civil rights lawyer before being elected to the L.A. City Council in 1963 to represent District 8, the same year Tom Bradley was elected to District 10. They were the first two Black men elected to City Council, following behind Gilbert Lindsay, the first Black man appointed to fill Edward Roybal\u2019s city council seat. Lindsay was also a close family friend, James said.<\/p>\n<p>James described his father as a humble man who remained active and engaged even after he left office. As the youngest child, he heard stories over the years about his father\u2019s impact and legacy. Only late in life did he learn his father officiated Muhammad Ali\u2019s wedding.<\/p>\n<p>Before his father died in June,  a man who had worked as a city parking attendant while his father worked in City Hall described Mills as \u201cone of my favorite people there\u201d after Mills came to his aid following an incident involving police officers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are a lot of people in Los Angeles that still think very highly of my dad,\u201d James said.<\/p>\n<p>James said his own work was largely shaped by his parents.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey taught me that the pursuit of justice and the aspiration to understand are, at their heart, the same journey: to see people fully, to listen carefully, and to leave the world better than you found it,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Mills was part of the first wave of Black politicians in L.A., paving the way for more Black representation at the city and state level, according to Alison Rose Jefferson, a historian who authored the book \u201cLiving the California Dream: African American Leisure Sites during the Jim Crow Era.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat was a really historic moment for Los Angeles,\u201d Jefferson said. Mills, she said, \u201cwas very vocal in terms of standing up for civil rights and human rights.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"enhancement\" data-click=\"enhancement\" data-align-center=\"\">\n<figure class=\"figure m-0\"> <picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/749c83a\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/2901x2559+0+0\/resize\/320x282!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4c%2F17%2F7fcc6871401491d2b7e5b8e7c5de%2Fap6306080513.jpg 320w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/c8ba5e7\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/2901x2559+0+0\/resize\/568x501!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4c%2F17%2F7fcc6871401491d2b7e5b8e7c5de%2Fap6306080513.jpg 568w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/3890bdc\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/2901x2559+0+0\/resize\/768x678!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4c%2F17%2F7fcc6871401491d2b7e5b8e7c5de%2Fap6306080513.jpg 768w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/6a4fb0a\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/2901x2559+0+0\/resize\/1024x904!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4c%2F17%2F7fcc6871401491d2b7e5b8e7c5de%2Fap6306080513.jpg 1024w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/8c17c5a\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/2901x2559+0+0\/resize\/1200x1059!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4c%2F17%2F7fcc6871401491d2b7e5b8e7c5de%2Fap6306080513.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"100vw\"\/><img class=\"image\" alt=\"President John Kennedy is greeted by a delegation of Los Angeles black leaders including Billy G. Mills. (AP Photo)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/0c3a393\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/2901x2559+0+0\/resize\/320x282!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4c%2F17%2F7fcc6871401491d2b7e5b8e7c5de%2Fap6306080513.jpg 320w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/689f5bb\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/2901x2559+0+0\/resize\/568x501!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4c%2F17%2F7fcc6871401491d2b7e5b8e7c5de%2Fap6306080513.jpg 568w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/2568715\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/2901x2559+0+0\/resize\/768x678!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4c%2F17%2F7fcc6871401491d2b7e5b8e7c5de%2Fap6306080513.jpg 768w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/f04f32d\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/2901x2559+0+0\/resize\/1024x904!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4c%2F17%2F7fcc6871401491d2b7e5b8e7c5de%2Fap6306080513.jpg 1024w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/078c695\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/2901x2559+0+0\/resize\/1200x1059!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4c%2F17%2F7fcc6871401491d2b7e5b8e7c5de%2Fap6306080513.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, 100vw\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1059\" src=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/078c695\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/2901x2559+0+0\/resize\/1200x1059!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4c%2F17%2F7fcc6871401491d2b7e5b8e7c5de%2Fap6306080513.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>   <\/picture>\n<div class=\"figure-content\">\n<p>President John Kennedy, leaving the Hollywood Palladium after addressing a breakfast of 3,000 Democratic women, is greeted by a delegation of Los Angeles black leaders and office holders. He is shaking hands with Thomas Bradley. Left of Bradley, only his head showing, is Billy G. Mills. (AP Photo)<\/p>\n<p>(Anonymous\/AP)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<p>As part of the Council, he helped lead the city in the aftermath of the Watts rebellion of 1965. He was selected by his colleagues to serve as acting mayor and president pro tem on multiple occasions, <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/alumni.ucla.edu\/awards\/billy-mills-51-j-d-54\/\" target=\"_blank\">according to UCLA<\/a>, which honored him in 2003 with a Public Service Award. He also brought streetlights and paved alleys to his district, installing them throughout South L.A. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cJust as he was a role model for black politicians, he also became one of the most respected black judges in California, whom lawyers and judges continue to emulate,\u201d the university said. \u201cBilly Mills is truly one of UCLA\u2019s greatest treasures.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>In 1972, Mills ran unsuccessfully for Congress. When he hit term limits and left city council in 1974, he was appointed to the Los Angeles Superior Court by then-Gov. Ronald Reagan, despite their opposing politics, James said.<\/p>\n<p>Mills was born in Waco, Tex., where he grew up and attended school. After high school, he arrived in Los Angeles and studied at Compton College before transferring to UCLA. There, he became the first Black graduate of the UCLA Law School. He met his wife Rubye at UCLA, and they had five children. Rubye <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/joytripproject.com\/2018\/03\/in-my-mothers-memory\/\" target=\"_blank\">died in 2018<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>Mills is survived by five children, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The Dr. Rubye and Judge Billy G. Mills Scholarship at UCLA supports undergraduate students interested in studying education or law.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Political forerunner Billy G. Mills, among the first Black council members elected in Los Angeles, has died. Billy G. Mills, a civil rights leader who was among the first Black men to serve on the Los Angeles City Council, has died. Mills, 96, died on June 27 after struggling with declining health, his son, James&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":423,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/d6a7f40\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/735x386+0+179\/resize\/1200x630!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F53%2F94%2Fb6ff4f8e41eb86bfa979cd850b64%2Fbilly-g-mills.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=422"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/422\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}