Barbara Boxer: “California and the Nation have lost a unique leader with the passing of former Congressman Ed Roybal. In 1922, Ed Roybal…”

“California and the Nation have lost a unique leader with the passing of former Congressman Ed Roybal. In 1922, Ed Roybal moved to Los Angeles from New Mexico with his parents. He graduated from Roosevelt High School and attended UCLA before going off to fight in World War II. When he returned from the war, he returned to Los Angeles and joined the County's Department of Health Education in its County Tuberculosis and Health Association. In 1947, Ed Roybal decided to run for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council in a district that was remarkably diverse and included Boyle Heights, Bunker Hill, Civic Center, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, and the Central Avenue District. Though he lost this race, he returned in 1949, winning in the same district. In part, his victory was based on a well organized effort to register Latino voters in the district. With this victory, he became the first Latino to serve on the Los Angeles City Council since 1881. He would serve on the council until 1962, when he was elected to the U.S. Congress. When he took his seat in the House of Representatives in Washington, DC, Ed Roybal remembered his constituents and his roots. He worked tirelessly to ensure that Latinos were represented and that their interests were not diluted by redistricting changes. He often stood alone in these efforts. Ed Roybal was also a tireless advocate for the elderly, and the working poor.…”