Thomas Yarborough facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Yarborough
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c. 1948
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| Mayor of Elsinore, California | |
| In office 1966–1968 |
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| City Councilman of Elsinore, California | |
| In office 1948–1952, 1959–1966 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | July 23, 1895 Dermott, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | March 19, 1969 (aged 73) Riverside County, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Real estate operator Civic leader |
Thomas R. Yarborough (born July 23, 1895 – died March 19, 1969) was an important American leader and politician. He made history in 1948 by becoming the first African American elected to a city council in California. Later, in 1966, Yarborough became the first African American mayor of Lake Elsinore, California. He was one of only three African Americans to be elected mayor in California that year.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Thomas R. Yarborough was born in Dermott, Arkansas, on July 23, 1895. His parents were William and Alice Yarborough. His family later moved to Greenville, Mississippi. There, he went to public school.
From 1911 to 1912, he studied at Straight University in New Orleans. This was a college mainly for Black students. Thomas had to leave school early to earn money. He worked as a bricklayer, janitor, and chauffeur. In 1916, he married Kathryn Stewart. The Yarboroughs moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1919.
Business Ventures
In 1924, Yarborough worked as a caretaker for a writer in Tucson, Arizona. In 1926, he moved back to Los Angeles. He learned how to fix furniture while working at a furniture factory at night.
In 1929, Thomas and Kathryn Yarborough moved to Lake Elsinore, California. This small town in Riverside County, California, was known for its dry weather. Thomas first visited Lake Elsinore because he had asthma. Doctors had told him he only had a year to live.
From 1929 to 1934, Yarborough worked as a caretaker for a famous speaker. He helped build her "castle" in Lake Elsinore. He worked with builders and decorators. He even built a special dome over the entrance to her home.
Later, Yarborough started his own business fixing furniture. He also bought and sold land. He would buy land that was for sale because of unpaid taxes. Then he would sell it or build houses to rent out. He managed these rental properties for people living there all year and for vacationers.
Community and Political Work
In 1947, Yarborough started the Elsinore Progressive League. This group later became the Hilltop Community Center. He bought old buildings from March Air Reserve Base. He turned them into a community center. It offered social and cultural activities for everyone, no matter their skin color.
In the late 1940s, Yarborough joined the Elsinore Planning Commission. He also served on the local Chamber of Commerce board. He was also on the board of the Property Owners Association. He helped create a business group that included all community members. He was also a strong supporter of the NAACP. He often traveled to Los Angeles for their meetings.
City Council Member
In 1948, Yarborough ran for a spot on the Lake Elsinore City Council. He won! This made him the first African American city councilman in California. A newspaper publisher named Leon H. Washington Jr. had encouraged him to get into politics.
Yarborough won even though less than 9 percent of Lake Elsinore's population was Black. He had support from voters of all backgrounds. Throughout his career, Yarborough worked to bring the community together. He worked with African Americans, Jewish people, and Latino communities. He also reached out to white residents to make positive changes.
Lake Elsinore had been very segregated since the early 1900s. Black, Jewish, and Mexican American families lived in separate neighborhoods on the hill. White families lived in the best homes at the top. In 1948, Yarborough told Ebony magazine that segregation began to end. This happened when a company called Douglas Aircraft bought the town's only factory. This factory offered equal job chances for everyone.
As the Black and Jewish communities grew, some places on Main Street refused to serve them. Yarborough worked with Jewish community leaders to fight this unfair treatment. Together, they succeeded. Everyone could then enjoy a drink or meal anywhere in Lake Elsinore.
He lost his election in 1956. But three years later, he was chosen to fill an open spot. Yarborough was reelected in 1960 and 1964. He served on the Lake Elsinore City Council for a total of eleven years.
Becoming Mayor
In 1966, Yarborough's fellow city council members chose him to be mayor of Lake Elsinore. At that time, he was one of only three African American mayors elected in California. The other two were Dubois McGee of El Centro and Ben F. Gross of Milpitas.
As mayor, Yarborough talked with local companies. These included phone, gas, and electricity providers. He worked to expand their hiring and training programs for young people in the area.
Retirement and Honors
Yarborough retired in 1968. He wanted to focus on writing a book. His book was about how to solve racial problems in the country. When he retired, a park was named in his honor: the Thomas R. Yarborough Park.
During the park's dedication in May 1968, many important people sent messages. These included Vice President Hubert Humphrey, California Governor Ronald Reagan, and Senator Robert F. Kennedy. A newspaper reported that the ceremony highlighted Yarborough's message. He asked people to "lay aside their prejudices and hate." He wanted them to "join with the minorities to help establish freedom and first-class citizenship for all men."
Death and Lasting Impact
Yarborough died in a car accident on Highway 71 in Riverside County, California on March 19, 1969.
In 1990, a special plaque honoring Thomas Yarborough was placed in Yarborough Park. It was given by the Hilltop Community Center. Around the year 2000, the local NAACP group started holding an annual Juneteenth celebration in Yarborough Park.
See also
