SACRAMENTO – A virtual who’s who of California government came together to pay tribute to someone they call a “giant of a man.”
They gathered at the State Capitol for the unveiling of a new bust of the late Mervyn M. Dymally. Dymally, who passed away in October 2012, had an illustrious career of service, including acting as California’s only Black lieutenant governor.
“I don’t think we’ve quite recognized him in the way we should,” shared Dr. Thomas A. Parham, President of CSU Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), which houses the Mervyn Dymally African American Political and Economic Institute. Its director, Dr. Anthony Asadullah Sumad also travelled to Sacramento to attend the unveiling. The institute will be responsible for the long-term maintenance of the art piece.
The golden bust was created by Los Angeles-based artist Nijel Binns.
“Alex Haley said ‘find a need and honor it’ and that’s what I did. I knew he needed a bust, that he needed recognition,” Binns said.
“If I didn’t do this, who else do you think would have done this?” he continued.
A native of Trinidad, Dymally was a teacher in Los Angeles before serving in the California State Assembly in the Compton area starting in 1963. Dymally then became the state’s first Black senator in 1966. He became the state’s first Black second in command in 1974. He won a Congressional seat in 1980. Dymally retired from the House of Representatives in 1993, but returned to the California legislature in 2002, at the age of 76. He went on to serve six more years.
“My father served in Congress, but his first love was the California legislature, “ shared son, Mark Dymally.
“He produced many, many outstanding pieces of legislation, but this was his first love and I can think of no greater honor, for him to be honored today and to have this bust in the Capitol,” he continued.
Throughout his political career, Mervyn Dymally was a champion for issues such as education, social welfare, veteran’s affairs, prison reform, economic development in Africa, and Black participation in the political process.
Assemblymember Dr. Shirley N. Weber (D-San Diego) shared a story about the time, a few weeks prior to Dymally’s death, that he sent her a card reminding her of things she “needed to do” in her 2012 campaign. He also included a check.
“He understood what it took to run a campaign and he was not just someone to stand there and cheer you on, but to support you every step of the way,” shared Dr. Weber, who would later go on to secure funding for the institute that bears Dymally’s name and chair the California Legislative Black Caucus that he helped to create.
“His legacy lives on in each and every elected official who has ever done anything to make a difference in California, but equally important, who has reached out and helped someone else, even without them knowing it or without other people celebrating it,” she continued.
Called a coalition builder, Dymally was lauded for his ability to gain support across political and color lines.
Robert M. Hertzberg, Senate Majority Leader (D-Van Nuys), who is White, jokingly referred to himself as “Mervyn Dymally’s other son.” Hertzberg met Dymally as a young organizer and drove the older man throughout California as he campaigned for the lieutenant governor seat. He spoke of his integrity and loyalty.
“The thing that touched me so deeply, in those years, that kept a relationship that lasted 46 years, was Mervyn Dymally lived his values,” Hertzberg shared.
“I was 18 years old. I worked my guts out. He took care of me, made sure I was taken care of, he didn’t double speak, integrated his values with his actions every single day. That was a lesson that I embodied in everything I tried to do going forward,” he continued.
“Mervyn Dymally’s legacy has certainly been fulfilled and the ancestors are pleased with his activities, initiatives and life pursuits,” Dr. Parham said.
Other speakers at the ceremony included Senator Steven Bradford, who attended CSUDH with Mark Dymally and valued his father’s encouragement; former Congresswoman Gloria Negrete McLeod, who worked alongside Mervyn Dymally; and California-Hawaii NAACP President Alice Huffman. Ms. Huffman is a former leader with the Democratic National Convention, who collaborated with the veteran politician on countless occasions.
“Whenever I worked with him, I was pleased with the way he went about his business, the way that he made sure that people were comfortable with what he was doing, if possible, and that he always, always put the community first,” Ms. Huffman said.
“The endeavors that represent Dymally’s legacy are etched in the stones of emotional memory and legislative achievements for all Californians to see and bear witness to, based on the depth of love for his community, the persistence of his legislative agenda, the authenticity of his relationships, and the quality of his service to his community, state and the nation,” Dr. Parham shared.
Binn first proposed to create a Dymally bust in the days after his 2012 death. Dymally’s former chief of staff Dr. Keith Orduna said he took Dymally’s widow, Alice Gueno Dymally, to see Binn’s early draft of the sculpture, at which time she gave it her stamp of approval. Prior to creating one to be installed in the Capitol, others have also been done for the Mervyn Dymally School of Nursing at Charles R. Drew University and the California African American Museum, both in Los Angeles and the institute at CSUDH. There are seven in total.
The latest statue comes as a result of Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson), authoring AB 2036 to establish its creation.
“This one here is the one that we’ve all wanted to happen at the State Capitol, where he spent all the years of his life,” Dr. Orduna shared.
The Dymally bust will permanently be on display outside the Lieutenant Governor’s Office.
“When the children come through (the Capitol) and they see this bust and when they see the Willie Brown bust, they know that Black folks have been here, that we made a difference and we will continue to do so,” Assemblymember Weber said.
By Genoa Barrow | Senior Staff Writer
Photos by Robert Maryland & Video by Russell Stiger Jr.