Santa Clarita, prior to its incorporation, had many leaders at its forefront advocating for city formation — including Louis Brathwaite, who was remembered for his leadership in the community by the Santa Clarita chapter of the NAACP Thursday evening at North Park Clubhouse.
Brathwaite, who was born in 1933 in New York City and died in 2001 in Santa Clarita, was an integral part of Santa Clarita’s incorporation in 1987, and went on to become a planning commissioner for the city.
His community involvement began after moving to the Santa Clarita Valley in 1969, including being a board member for the Boys and Girls Club and the William S. Hart Union High School District, and even being involved with the SCV Senior Center.
In recognition of his contributions to the early stages of cityhood, the city approved the naming of a street in Sand Canyon Plaza on Brathwaite’s behalf in 2022.
NAACP Second Vice President Rlynn Smith Thomas and Assistant Secretary Barbara White welcomed attendees to the NAACP Black History Month celebration, where Brathwaite was memorialized by local leaders.
“He was a very humble man and didn’t go around tooting his own horn. I met Louis Brathwaite, but I had no idea he had helped pen, plan and produce the actual city of Santa Clarita,” Gloria Locke, retired multimedia journalist, said to the crowd. “I think in some way, acknowledging him allows us to blow his horn and to stand tall. In 2016, while I was compiling a list of first and famous African Americans of Santa Clarita … I was stunned to learn that one of Santa Clarita’s Founding Fathers was Black.”
Jim Ventress, former executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of the Santa Clarita Valley, recounted stories with Brathwaite being on the board of the club and helping raise funds for the organization.
“[He was] a class act. He just cared about his family, about the community, and his job. He spent at least 38 years in the Air Force. Every time I’d ask him about his job, he said he couldn’t tell me — it was a secret,” Ventress said. “When I first met him, he and his wife, Mary, were volunteers for our annual auction … [he] would help set up.”
Ventress said Brathwaite deserved to be selected as the board member of the year in 1995, standing out among other strong board members.
“He loved to give out awards to the kids … he would give [kids a] trophy with a little smile. That was one of the things I really enjoyed, because we understood why we were there — it was about the kids … He was also involved with the seniors, kind of like the circle of life: being with the little kids, then being with the seniors,” Ventress said. “I don’t know where he found time. He just had the energy to keep [a steady leadership]. Definitely a family man.”
Santa Clarita Mayor Bill Miranda discussed indirect similarities with Brathwaite, including being from Harlem and serving in the Air Force. Miranda also reflected on his own experiences growing up as a Puerto Rican in New York, and even recalled the murder of Malcolm X a day before the 60th anniversary.
“There’s a theater on Broadway and 65th Street. My mother worked as a cashier in that theater, and my dad used to pick her up. One day, I said to my father [that] Malcolm X got shot [at the] theater my mother was working at,” Miranda said.
Miranda then listed Brathwaite’s accomplishments, discussing how hard of a worker he was and how he implemented his work ethic to help the city succeed.
“[Brathwaite’s] leadership was recognized when he was appointed to Santa Clarita Planning Commission, where he served for a decade longer than any other member at the time. He led with a strong focus toward ensuring balance and fairness in the city’s developments,” Miranda said. “Even in the final years, he remained committed to sharing his story, completing his autobiography, ‘Black Man’s Job, White Man’s World.’ He completed it one week before he passed.”
According to Miranda, Carl Boyer, former mayor of Santa Clarita and friend of Brathwaite who helped edit his book, “remarked that [Brathwaite] had to work twice as hard at everything to be accepted like everyone else, but it made him into a guy who achieved tremendous amounts in his life.”
“Louis was more than a leader. He was a bridge builder, and an advocate and a man of integrity. Santa Clarita would not be the same without him, and his legacy reminds us of the power of service. He was a true servant leader,” Miranda said.
