Tom Yarborough
Encyclopedia
Tom Yarborough was the first black mayor in California
(although some sources cite Mississippi
) on July 23, 1895.
He made his way to California
as a handyman for the evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson
. He eventually settled in the small town of Lake Elsinore
, which is located in Riverside County
.
Yarborough opened an upholstery shop in the downtown area and invested in real estate. In 1948, he successfully ran for a seat on the City Council. He was defeated in 1956, but three years later was appointed to fill a vacancy.
In 1966, Yarborough was elected the town's mayor, becoming the first African-American in California to do so.
He died in an automobile accident on Highway 71 in Riverside County
on March 19, 1969. He was survived by his widow Katherine and eight children.
A parcel of land in the downtown area that Yarborough donated to Lake Elsinore
was converted into a small park and named after him.
Biography
Thomas R. Yarborough was born in ArkansasArkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
(although some sources cite Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
) on July 23, 1895.
He made his way 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...
as a handyman for the evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson
Aimee Semple McPherson
Aimee Semple McPherson , also known as Sister Aimee, was a Canadian-American Los Angeles, California evangelist and media celebrity in the 1920s and 1930s. She founded the Foursquare Church...
. He eventually settled in the small town of Lake Elsinore
Lake Elsinore, California
For the lake see Lake Elsinore.Lake Elsinore or LE is a city in western Riverside County, California. The population was 51,821 at the 2010 census...
, which is located in Riverside County
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
.
Yarborough opened an upholstery shop in the downtown area and invested in real estate. In 1948, he successfully ran for a seat on the City Council. He was defeated in 1956, but three years later was appointed to fill a vacancy.
In 1966, Yarborough was elected the town's mayor, becoming the first African-American in California to do so.
He died in an automobile accident on Highway 71 in Riverside County
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
on March 19, 1969. He was survived by his widow Katherine and eight children.
A parcel of land in the downtown area that Yarborough donated to Lake Elsinore
Lake Elsinore, California
For the lake see Lake Elsinore.Lake Elsinore or LE is a city in western Riverside County, California. The population was 51,821 at the 2010 census...
was converted into a small park and named after him.