Rita Walters Explained

Rita Walters
Birth Name:Rita Dolores White
Birth Date:14 August 1930
Birth Place:Chicago, Illinois
Death Place:Los Angeles, California
Office:Member of the Los Angeles City Council from the 9th District
Term Start:July 1, 1991
Term End:June 30, 2001
Predecessor:Gilbert W. Lindsay
Successor:Jan Perry
Spouse:Wilbur E. Walters (m. 1955, div. 1973)
Children:3
Party:Democrat
Alma Mater:Shaw University
UCLA Anderson School of Management

Rita Dolores Walters (née White; August 14, 1930 – February 17, 2020)[1] was an American politician.

Political career

Walters served on the Board of Library Commissioners for the Los Angeles Public Library. Prior to this position, she served on the Los Angeles City Council[2] representing the 9th district from 1991 to 2001.[3] During that time, she chaired the Arts, Health & Humanities Committee where she reviewed matters related to the Library Department. She was the first African-American woman elected to the City Council. Prior to this job, she was on the Los Angeles Unified School District's Board of Education (1979–1991). Walters was also a teacher in the adult division of the Los Angeles School District for four years.

Background

Walters was born in Chicago, Illinois, and moved with her parents and family to Kansas. She moved to Los Angeles in 1955, and there she met and married Wilbur E. Walters. They had three children: David, Susan, and Philip. She died in Los Angeles while in hospice care from Alzheimer's disease.

Education

Walters graduated with a bachelor's degree in education from Shaw University and had an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Recognition

In 2009, Walters was recognized on the popular podcast, 'Vaguely Live Radio', as part of the feature 'Jimmy's Random Wikipedia Page of the Week'.

References

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Notes and References

  1. News: Rita Walters, a fierce advocate for equality and trailblazing elected official, dies at 89. Blume. Howard. Los Angeles Times. February 20, 2020. February 21, 2020.
  2. Book: Etzioni, Amitai. Rights and the Common Good: The Communitarian Perspective. 29 June 2012. 1995-06-15. Palgrave Macmillan. 9780312102722. 247–.
  3. Web site: Rita Walters Commissioner. Los Angeles Public Library. 30 July 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120604132700/http://www.lapl.org/about/blc_comm_rw.html. 4 June 2012.