SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, Governor Brown issued a Proclamation Declaring October 17, 2012 as Mervyn M. Dymally Day. Text follows:
PROCLAMATION BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Today we celebrate the life of a great Californian leader, Mervyn Dymally. His career as educator, State Assemblyman, State Senator, Lieutenant Governor and Member of Congress spanned the terms of six California governors, including my father and Ronald Reagan.
For more than four decades of public service, Mervyn Dymally worked to improve the lives of Californians, particularly those burdened by racial, gender or ethnic discrimination. He championed the cause of civil rights, and broke new ground as our state’s first African-American state senator and as one of the first African-Americans to be elected to statewide office since the Reconstruction era. He was an outstanding mentor, organizer and leader in his community. I had the privilege of working with him during my first term as Governor.
Mervyn Dymally came from humble origins and achieved great things, opening doors of opportunity not just for himself, but for Californians of every background. For this reason, it is fitting and proper that we dedicate this day to honoring his memory and the generous life of service that he exemplifies.
NOW THEREFORE I, EDMUND G. BROWN JR., Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim October 17, 2012, as “Mervyn M. Dymally Day.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 15th day of October 2012.
EDMUND G. BROWN JR.
Governor of California
ATTEST:
DEBRA BOWEN
Secretary of State
