Chester R. Crain
Encyclopedia
Chester R. Crain served as mayor of Compton, California
during a period of enormous transition.
. He was the third of at least nine children born to Carl R. and Lillie Crain. In the 1920s, the family moved to California
and settled in the Signal Hill
area.
He was employed as track and field
coach and a professor of English at Compton Community College
. In 1953, Crain was elected to the Compton City Council, representing the 2nd District. He became the city's mayor after the resignation of Congressman-elect Del Clawson in 1963. He served as mayor of Compton, California
during a tumultuous period in the city's history. Unlike some of his predecessors that were uncomfortable with the town's growing black
population, Crain attempted to build bridges and make Compton a model of integration.
However, just a few months after his re-election in 1965, the Watts Riots
broke out in the adjacent community in Los Angeles
. He was an outspoken critic of Los Angeles Mayor Sam Yorty and accused him of neglecting the predominantly African American
community. He was once quoted as saying, "Has he ever been to Watts?"
In the wake of the riots many of the remaining whites left Compton and moved to new suburbs in nearby Los Angeles County
communities such as Lakewood
or to Orange County
, a few miles south of Compton.
During his tenure, Compton's city council became majority African American
. In 1969, he did not seek re-election and watched as City Councilman Douglas F. Dollarhide
became the city's first black
chief executive. By that time, the population of Compton was roughly 65% black
.
After leaving office, Crain moved to the northern part of the state. He died in the Fresno, California
area at the age of 70. He was living in Tulare County
at the time of his death.
Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. The city is considered part of the South side by residents of Los...
during a period of enormous transition.
Biography
Chester Russell Crain was a native of Des Moines, IowaDes Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
. He was the third of at least nine children born to Carl R. and Lillie Crain. In the 1920s, the family moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and settled in the Signal Hill
Signal Hill, California
Signal Hill is a small city in California located in the Greater Los Angeles area. Signal Hill, completely surrounded by the city of Long Beach, was incorporated on April 22, 1924, roughly three years after oil was discovered in Signal Hill. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
area.
He was employed as track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
coach and a professor of English at Compton Community College
Compton Community College
El Camino College Compton Center operates as a "center" of El Camino College. Under an agreement with El Camino College, Compton Center is open and offers accredited El Camino College courses to residents of Compton, Carson, Lynwood, Paramount and parts of North Long Beach...
. In 1953, Crain was elected to the Compton City Council, representing the 2nd District. He became the city's mayor after the resignation of Congressman-elect Del Clawson in 1963. He served as mayor of Compton, California
Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. The city is considered part of the South side by residents of Los...
during a tumultuous period in the city's history. Unlike some of his predecessors that were uncomfortable with the town's growing black
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
population, Crain attempted to build bridges and make Compton a model of integration.
However, just a few months after his re-election in 1965, the Watts Riots
Watts Riots
The Watts Riots or the Watts Rebellion was a civil disturbance in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, California from August 11 to August 15, 1965. The 5-day riot resulted in 34 deaths, 1,032 injuries, and 3,438 arrests...
broke out in the adjacent community in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. He was an outspoken critic of Los Angeles Mayor Sam Yorty and accused him of neglecting the predominantly African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
community. He was once quoted as saying, "Has he ever been to Watts?"
In the wake of the riots many of the remaining whites left Compton and moved to new suburbs in nearby Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
communities such as Lakewood
Lakewood, California
Lakewood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 80,048 at the 2010 census. It is bordered by Long Beach on the west and south, Bellflower on the north, Cerritos on the northeast, Cypress on the east, and Hawaiian Gardens on the southeast. Major thoroughfares...
or to Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, a few miles south of Compton.
During his tenure, Compton's city council became majority African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
. In 1969, he did not seek re-election and watched as City Councilman Douglas F. Dollarhide
Douglas Dollarhide
Douglas Dollarhide was the first African American mayor of a metropolitan city in California.-Biography:...
became the city's first black
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
chief executive. By that time, the population of Compton was roughly 65% black
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
.
After leaving office, Crain moved to the northern part of the state. He died in the Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
area at the age of 70. He was living in Tulare County
Tulare County, California
Tulare County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Fresno. Sequoia National Park is located in the county, as are part of Kings Canyon National Park, in its northeast corner , and part of Mount Whitney, on its eastern border...
at the time of his death.