IN MEMORIAM

William “Bill” Elkins, Jr., a WWII veteran, was Special Assistant to Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and one of his closest friends and trusted political advisors for decades. Bill recalled:

"Tom Bradley and I go back 80 years. He was at Polytechnic [High], I was at Jefferson [High], and we used to joke about occurrences when we lived in a different world, and we did live in a different world during those years. When Tom was elected Mayor, he said, 'Bill come on down here and let’s decide what we’re going to have you do.' And I said, 'Tom, hell, I’m not going to work for you. I need to make some money!' My wife Eleanor persuaded me to make a two year commitment that turned into twenty years. And if I had it to do over again, I’d do it over again."

Bill knew Tom Bradley longer than anyone else, first meeting at Lafayette Middle School in South Central Los Angeles, where they pursued their dreams together. They attended UCLA on academic and sports scholarships at a time when only a few black students were on campus. Both pledged the same fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, graduated from Southwestern Law School and devoted their lives to civil service and transforming the city of Los Angeles.

Tom Bradley was Bill’s “best man” when Bill married his wife, Eleanor. He was a member of Second Baptist Church for more than 70 years. Bill either chaired or co-chaired every advisory committee when Tom Bradley ran for LA City Council, LA Mayor and Governor of California. One of the Mayor’s right hand men and among the highest-ranking staff members, Bill worked for Mayor Bradley in passing affirmative action, aging and youth programs, securing federal funding and recognition, bringing the Black and Jewish communities together, and serving as a peacemaker between the Black and Hispanic communities.

Bill remembered: "One of the great privileges of my life was when...about a half a dozen black ecumenical leaders - the president of the NAACP, Urban League, SCLC, and several others, deliberately met with [LA Police Chief William] Parker. [We asked him]: 'Do you remember when you told this man that you didn’t promote his kind...and now he’s your boss? The Mayor of the city of Los Angeles?' We got a big kick out of that."

To many, Tom Bradley’s success was, in large part, because of Bill Elkins’ expert leadership, fierce loyalty and lifelong friendship.

Bill Elkins, first from the left, with LA Mayor Tom Bradley and staff members.