The Los Angeles City Council has officially designated a downtown street intersection to commemorate the contributions of Willis Tyler, a pioneering civil rights activist and attorney dedicated to advancing racial justice.
In a unanimous 10-0 vote, the council approved the motion introduced by Councilman Kevin de Leon back in August. Notably, council members Kevin de Leon, Tim McOsker, Curren Price, Nithya Raman, and Monica Rodriguez were absent during the vote.
Born in Bloomington, Illinois in July 1880, Tyler tragically passed away in June 1949 in Los Angeles. His challenging childhood included the loss of his parents, but he was raised by his aunt, an influential figure in Bloomington’s Underground Railroad station.
At the age of 16, Tyler pursued higher education at Indiana University, where he diligently studied for two years. In 1898, he enlisted in the Indiana Colored Volunteer Infantry, displaying his dedication to the cause of Cuba’s independence during the Spanish-American War.
Afterwards, Tyler accomplished a remarkable feat by graduating from Harvard Law School in 1907, earning the highest honors ever bestowed upon a Black student. He then made his way to Los Angeles, immersing himself in the Civil Rights Movement and establishing strong ties with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Throughout his career, Tyler brilliantly litigated pivotal civil rights cases, with one of his notable triumphs being the Title Guaranty v. Garrott case in 1919.
The case revolved around H.L. Garrott, an African American police officer who had purchased a home in South Los Angeles. However, a deed against the property contained a discriminatory provision that prohibited its sale to individuals of “African, Chinese, or Japanese descent.”
When the title company discovered Garrott’s ownership, they initiated legal action to force him to relinquish his property without fair compensation.
Step by step, Tyler presented Garrott’s case and persuasively argued that the racially restrictive covenant directly violated the due process clause of the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution. He contended that the covenant had to be rendered invalid since it infringed upon the individual’s right to freely transfer their own property, as stated in the motion.
Apart from this influential victory, Tyler also represented Willa and Charles Bruce, the visionary founders of Bruce’s Beach, in their valiant fight against the racially motivated eminent domain claim made by the city of Manhattan Beach.
Councilman Kevin de Leon’s motion directs the downtown intersection of Spring and Second Street to be officially named “Willis O. Tyler Square” as a heartfelt tribute to the esteemed attorney. It’s worth noting that Tyler’s law office, where he tirelessly worked, was situated at 224 S. Spring Street.
The responsible entity, the Department of Transportation, will be tasked with creating and installing the signage to honor Willis Tyler.
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