City of San Diego Exhibit Honors Local Trailblazers

June 28, 2023

The Office of the City Clerk is hosting an exhibit honoring San Diego trailblazers who have dedicated their lives to advancing equality through July 7 in the lobby of the City Administration Building.

The exhibit highlights Dennis V. Allen, who fought to challenge racial discrimination. Featuring copies of letters and petitions he wrote a century ago, the exhibit details Mr. Allen’s contributions to the city, including successful appeals that resulted in the appointments of San Diego’s first Black firefighters and nurses.

In addition to Mr. Allen, visitors can learn about other barrier-breaking San Diegans, including:
Henrietta Goodwin, who in 1913 became the first Black graduate of San Diego State University.
Howard “Skippy Smith,” who, during the 1940s, opened the nation’s first Black-owned war production factory in San Diego.
David Bejarano, who in the late 1990s was appointed the City’s first Hispanic police chief in more than 150 years.

Inside San Diego

City of San Diego Exhibit Honors Local Trailblazers

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