[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 72 (Thursday, May 13, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H3463]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO WILLIAM ``BILL'' ELKINS, JR.

  (Ms. WATSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of William 
``Bill'' Elkins, Jr., who was born January 20, 1920, to William and 
Virginia Elkins. He, sadly, passed way on May 12 of this year.
  Mr. Elkins was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where he 
was known for his civility, loyalty, discretion, diplomacy, and 
dedication to civil rights. He was the right-hand man of the late Mayor 
Tom Bradley for 40 years--before, during, and after the mayor's four 
times in office--as the first African American to hold that high post 
and as the elected official who held it the longest to date.
  Mr. Elkins met the future mayor while they attended Lafayette Middle 
School in South Los Angeles. Their friendship strengthened in 
subsequent years of study in college and work for the City of Los 
Angeles.
  A graduate of Jefferson High School, young Bill Elkins left college 
to serve his country by enlisting in the Army and was assigned for 4 
years to Italy during World War II. He returned to earn his bachelor's 
degree in political science at UCLA, where he and Tom Bradley pledged 
Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity together. He worked for the county as a 
probation officer and earned his juris doctorate from Southwestern 
University Law School, once again taking classes with LAPD Officer Tom 
Bradley, who was the best man at his wedding in 1945.
  He then became the director of Teen Post. It was an inner-city after-
school youth program. He rose to be the general counsel right next to 
our mayor, Tom Bradley.
  He became the Mayor's point-man on affirmative action and was more 
responsible than any other single individual for remedying the 
exclusion of people of color and women from employment in responsible 
positions for the City of Los Angeles. He was also Mayor Bradley's 
liaison to Washington, DC, and was responsible for several citywide 
programs, including the city's Area Agency for Aging and multiple youth 
programs.
  After Mayor Bradley left office, Elkins served on the board of the 
Thomas Spiegel Family Foundation as that philanthropy's vice president, 
until he retired a few years ago. Elkins was also a member of Second 
Baptist Church for more than 70 years.
  Mr. Elkins leaves to cherish his memory his wife Eleanor, to whom he 
was married for 65 years, their sons Bill and Larry, two grandchildren, 
and a host of family, friends and colleagues.
  We honor Mr. Elkins today--a good and decent American whose deeds in 
life and record of public service deserve to be acknowledged and 
commemorated.
  May God rest his soul.

                          ____________________