Tales of Early Inglewood: The College That Never Was

Inglewood founder Daniel Freeman had many big plans for his new town. He wanted to grow fruit and nut trees in the wonderful climate found in Southern California. He wanted a lovely area for homes, to be a hub of commerce, and an institution of higher learning to be founded. Mr. Freeman wanted Inglewood to be the center for most everything.

The city’s founder also wanted a school destined to become one of the most well-respected colleges in California and the whole United States.

The year 1880 was when a private college was founded by four religious denominations on what was then wideopen farmland but would become the south end of downtown Los Angeles. It started with an enrollment of 53 students.

At the time there was a boon of university-founding and the University of Southern California was looking to expand. The trustees had a grand vision though the school had opened with just one medium-sized building. Their vision was to build a series of specialized satellite campuses throughout Southern California.

To induce a college to Inglewood, Daniel Free- man offered both land and a monetary inducement. The land was 10 acres for the campus and another 50 lots near- by for housing—all in the area that was to be- come Fairview Heights. So sure was he of the acceptance of his offer that Marlborough Street was readied as the entrance to the campus. If one looks closely at a city map, this is the only truly straight street in the area east of La Brea and north of Florence.

A total endowment of $200,000 was part of the offer and the first contribution was to be $50,000 in cash. USC accepted and the school was to be called Freeman College of Applied Sciences.

The architectural design for the main building was completed. It was similar to the doomed landmark building on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In May 1888, there was a well-publicized groundbreaking ceremony. A cornerstone was laid and excavation for the foundation was begun.

The sagging economy during the winter of 1888 brought the Freeman College construction to a screeching halt. Even with the school construction on hold, USC’s founding president, Judge Joseph P. Widney, offered Freeman an appointment on the Board of Trustees. He declined, but hope for the Freeman campus remained.

Daniel finally gave up the ghost in 1890 and he cancelled the project. He also withdrew his endowment and land offer.

During this attempt at making Inglewood a college town, Grace, the youngest Freeman child and only girl, was a student at USC. She enrolled in 1887 and this could have been the reason for Daniel trying to bring USC to Inglewood.

Daniel Freeman died in 1918. In his will—written in June and just three months before his death— he left a bequest to USC. Over the years, Freeman had many friends associated with the university. The amount of the USC bequest is unknown. However, the estimated value of the estate in 1918 was $1 million, about $15 million in today’s dollars.

Voters' Rights Denied: City clerk's ad hoc rules to remove observers maybe declared unconstitutional

Inglewood city clerk Yvonne Horton may have violated a number of laws when she used Inglewood police officers to remove election observers.

In the days following the April 2 election ballot count, a number of residents showed up to fulfill their civic duties. Some residents showed up as early as 7 a.m.

Horton regularly reports for work at approximately 9 a.m. during her four-day work week. Throughout elections week—including Friday, when city hall is normally closed—she was present every day shortly after 7 a.m.

Horton was also observed at city hall late Thursday night on the sixth floor.

The residents were present as elections observers for the remaining canvassing activities that led up to the ballot count of April 8.
California state law declares that voters “have the right to ask questions about election procedures and to observe the elections process.”

The elections process was carried out in a small room where only
Horton and her staff were allowed to sit. Senior citizens and other observers were not allowed to sit during the days-long elections ballot processing that took place from April 3 until April 5. On the final day of the elections process, Horton decreed that only four observers at a time were allowed into the room.

Despite knowing that observers would be on hand, the city clerk re- fused to make the process available to more than four people at a time. The result that was many registered voters wishing to observe the process were blatantly denied their rights. Horton directed Inglewood police officers to remove residents who verbally protested their violated rights. The city clerk’s actions were recorded on video tape. Horton also refused to answer questions about the elections process. Under state law, voters“have the right to ask questions of the precinct board and elections officials regarding election procedures and to receive an answer or be directed to the appropriate official for an answer.”

Horton did not return phone calls or e-mails requesting a comment.

It’s Legal—But is it Christlike?

California Educational Solutions (CES), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity, appears to want to keep all its good work private.

CES has no website. Public records state that the charity’s office is housed at Inglewood city clerk Yvonne Horton’s private residence and that she is the president of CES. Horton’s husband, Jerome, is the chairperson of the CA Board of Equalization (BOE). CES’ articles of incorporation were filed on June 14, 2004.”

CES receives a significant amount of corporate donations for what appear to be networking parties.

CES received three significant donations in 2011.

The largest, $25,000, was from Time-Warner.

Time-Warner broadcasts Inglewood City Council meetings.

“In a common sense way this [kind of situation] is a conflict of interest. When it comes to ethics laws, everything is legal until it’s not. We are always troubled when we see money moving around that seems to not be exposed to the general public or appears to be a conflict of interests, unfortunately it’s is only the legislature or a ballot initiative that can close these kinds of loopholes and of course the legislature has other priorities than tightening ethic laws against themselves. It’s like telling the players instead of the referee to come up with their own rules,” said Phillip Ung of California Common Cause.

In 2012 the City of Inglewood wrote an ordinance that shut down public access television and made it so that any programming must first be approved by the City Council and City Manager.

“It is common practice for cities that do not have studios or production facilities to designate and operate local cable access channels as ‘governmental’ access channels.”— January 24, 2012 City of Inglewood memo, Subject: Government Access Channel Policy.

Prior to 2012, the Inglewood-based INcomTV filmed city council meetings. INcomTV has a studio and production facilities.

According to tax records, the purpose of Time-Warner’s donations to CES was to sponsor “Connecting Women to Power” events. The events were promoted on the state’s BOE website by Yvonne Horton’s husband, who is also the BOE Chairperson. The press release on the BOE website did not disclose that Jerome Horton’s wife is the president of CES.

“Pouring big bucks into a lawmaker’s pet cause enables special interests to sidestep campaign contribution limits and make a positive impression on those whose votes they need,” wrote Jim Sanders in a Sacramento Bee story dated May 12, 2012.

With ballot initiatives averaging $2-3 million to get qualified, one of the tools we have to stop these legal albeit unethical activities is to inform our elected officials that this kind of behavior is not decent.

It certainly isn’t decent for a person such as Yvonne Horton—who frequently invokes Jesus Christ when she is given time at city council meetings.

Inglewood City Clerk Hints at Lawsuit; Claims that MPC Slandered Her

INSIDE INGLEWOOD -The recent Inglewood municipal elections ended in a run-off for Districts 1 and 2.

City-wide, two illegally proposed city charter amendments were nevertheless voted in. A slew of irregularities in the ballot canvassing process appears to have pushed Inglewood City Clerk Yvonne Horton to indicate she has been slandered in a local newspaper, Morningside Park Chronicle. At the April 9 city council meeting, city clerk Yvonne Horton was allowed to air personal concerns indicating her possible campaign to file civil litigation against the Chronicle. 

Horton's implied litigation may well be considered a SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) lawsuit. 

In the state of CA, SLAPPs are considered as an action "against people or organizations because they have exercised their First Amendment right to free speech or to petition the government." 

In an unprecedented series of events, Horton was forced to have observers from all four districts monitor the ballot-canvassing process. 

This was only done in the week following election night.

In the weeks leading up to the April 2 election, Horton and her staff were free to canvass the ballots in a private office without scrutiny from Martin & Chapman (the elections officials hired to tally the ballots on election night and again on Monday, April 8) or anyone else. 

After the April 2 election results, however, a number of disparities were noted in the days following election night—starting within minutes of the end of the election on April 10. 

Immediately following the election night returns, the ‘live’ ballots were returned to the Horton's office. Mayor James T. Butts was observed by a number of residents as he and Horton entered the city clerk's office while the ‘live’ ballots were in the office immediately following the ballot-counting process at city hall. California elections code clearly states that ‘live’ ballots require strict security.

Over the next several days, several irregularities were observed and filmed: 

The official white bags containing ballots were never sealed. At least two precinct bags were observed with the adhesive strips still intact. the remainder of all the post-election uncounted bags were torn open. 

A significant number of Vote By Mail (VBM) ballot envelopes were already open. City clerk staff were observed taping them closed. 

Approximately 800 of the post-election uncounted VBM envelopes were without stamps and USPS cancellations. Horton explained the absence of stamps and cancellations as "ballots that were walked in to precincts be people who intended to vote by mail but didn't." She would not elaborate nor would she allow closer inspection of the envelopes. 

Ballot groups with no precincts assigned were nevertheless informally assigned precincts. 

Horton's multiple protests regarding "distractions" were exacerbated by Horton when she directed an Inglewood police officer to all but forcibly remove residents and at least one council member whose only "distraction" was to ask a fundamental question that Horton—the elected elections official—could not answer. (The following business day, in Community Room A, Horton directed a non-city clerk staff member to turn on the television during the middle of the public canvassing/pre-ballot counting event, an action which was clearly regarded a "distraction" by the crowd and was quickly reversed owing to the noise of the TV.) 

A two-MINUTE disagreement with an observer's request to clarify why Horton was refusing to move the ballot-canvassing activity to a larger room as well as limit the number of observers was the impromptu excuse Horton employed to announce a two-HOUR delay in the beginning of the ballot-counting process. (The counting was to begin at 2 p.m. Horton's behavior and the subsequent decision to push the counting up to 4 p.m. was also caught on video.) 

Horton has subsequently claimed to have felt "terrified" of an observing council member—despite having armed police officers, the city attorney, no fewer than seven city clerk staff and a number of opposition candidates and their representatives on hand the entire time. 

In violation of CA elections Code 3017, Horton failed to "establish a toll-free telephone number that may be used to confirm the date a voted vote by mail ballot was received." 

A significant number of Inglewood residents were mailed VBM ballots despite not having submitted written request for VBM ballots—a clear violation of CA elections Code 3001. 

CA Elections code 15360 states that "during the official canvass of every election in which a voting system is used, the official conducting the election shall conduct a public manual tally of the ballots tabulated by those devices, including vote by mail ballots." Horton has failed to prove she has performed any such legal requirement. 

In violation of CA elections Code 9280, Horton failed to publish in the sample ballot or anywhere else, "an impartial analysis of the measure showing the effect of the measure on the existing law and the operation of the measure" by the city attorney—the person responsible for such a statement. 

Horton's husband, Jerome, is a close friend to Inglewood city attorney Cal Saunders. 

Horton was responsible for unilaterally proposing two charter amendments—neither of which were formally opposed by the city attorney, as indicated above. Video evidence exhibited both charter amendments were in clear violation of CA Elections Code Section . 

In what appears to be a retaliatory act on behalf of Inglewood city clerk Yvonne Horton, statements to the mayor have been made regarding "slander" and "litigation" regarding articles written and published by this writer exposing the many violations and possibly criminal behavior of the city clerk. 

LA County District Attorney Jackie Lacey's office has refused to investigate these and other of the Inglewood city clerk's latest election and ballot canvassing/counting irregularities despite significant video and other documented evidence presented. 

Photos of Saunders and his family at Lacey's October, 2012 inaugural party indicate a close relationship between the DA and the city attorney. 

Calls to Horton, Saunders and the DA's office were not returned.

(This was originally posted on

A Jersey Lesson in Voter Fraud: My grandmother died there in 1940. She voted Democratic for the next 10 years.

Some youthful memories were stirred by the news this week that the president plans to use his State of the Union speech next Tuesday to urge Congress to make voter registration and ballot-casting easier. Like Mr. Obama, I come from a city with a colorful history of political corruption and vote fraud.

The president’s town is Chicago, mine is Jersey City. Both were solidly Democratic in the 1930s and ‘40s, and their mayors were close friends. At one point in the early ‘30s, Jersey City’s Frank Hague called Chicago’s Ed Kelly to say he needed $2 million as soon as possible to survive a coming election. According to my father—one of Boss Hague’s right-hand men—a dapper fellow who had taken an overnight train arrived at Jersey City’s City Hall the next morning, suitcase in hand, cash inside.

Those were the days when it was glorious to be a Democrat. As a historian, I give talks from time to time. In a recent one, called “Us Against Them,” I said it was we Irish and our Italian, Polish and other ethnic allies against “the dirty rotten stinking WASP Protestant Republicans of New Jersey.” By thus demeaning the opposition, we had clear con- sciences as we rolled up killer majorities using tactics that had little to do with the election laws.

My grandmother Mary Dolan died in 1940. But she voted Democratic for the next 10 years. An election bureau official came to our door one time and asked if Mrs. Dolan was still living in our house. “She’s upstairs taking a nap,” I replied. Satisfied, he left.

Thousands of other ghosts cast similar ballots every Election Day in Jersey City. Another technique was the use of “floaters,” tough Irishmen imported from New York who voted five, six and even 10 times at various polling places.

Equally effective was cash-per-vote. On more than one Election Day, my father called the ward’s chief bookmaker to tell him: “I need 10 grand by one o’clock.” He always got it, and his ward had a formidable Democratic majority when the polls closed.

Other times, as the clock ticked into the wee hours, word would often arrive in the polling places that the dirty rotten stinking WASP Protestant Republicans had built up a commanding lead in South Jersey, where “Nucky” Johnson (currently being immortalized on TV in HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire”) had a small Republican machine in Atlantic City.

By dawn, tens of thousands of hitherto unknown Jersey City ballots would be counted and another Democratic governor or senator would be in office, and the Democratic presidential candidate would benefit as well. Things in Chicago were no
different, Boss Hague would remark after returning from one of his frequent visits. I have to laugh when I hear current-day Democrats not only lobbying against voter-identification laws but campaigning to make voting even easier than it already is. More laughable is the idea of dressing up the matter as a civil-rights issue.

My youthful outlook on life—that anything goes against the rotten stinking WASP Protestant Republicans—evaporated while I served in the U.S. Navy in World War II. In that conflict, millions of people like me acquired a new understanding of what it meant to be an American.

Later I became a historian of this nation’s early years—and I can assure President Obama that no founding father would tolerate the idea of unidentified voters. These men understood the possibility and the reality of political corruption. They knew it might erupt at any time within a city or state.

The president’s party—which is still my party—has inspired countless Americans by looking out for the less fortunate. No doubt that instinct motivated Mr. Obama in his years as a community organizer in Chicago. Such caring can still be a force, but that force, and the Democratic Party, will be constantly soiled and corrupted if the right and the privilege to vote becomes an easily manipulated joke.

Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles

Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles is a southern California destination for southern cuisine. They burst on the scene in 1985 with a restaurant in Hollywood. The odd combination of fried chicken and waffles attracted the likes of Natalie Cole and Redd Foxx. Roscoe’s now has six California locations: two in L.A. and one each in Long Beach, Pasadena, Hollywood and Ingle- wood. A seventh is slated to open soon in Anaheim.

The Inglewood eatery is one of the more recent additions to the chain. Located just east of the 405 freeway on Manchester Boulevard, Sunday breakfast and weekday lunch lines can be seen in front of the main entrance. A Los Angeles native, I am almost ashamed to admit this was my first visit to Roscoe’s; I looked forward to the experience.

I pulled into the lot on a Monday evening at about 6:00 p.m. and was surprised to see very few cars. Parking is ample and easy to navigate with convenient access from Manchester. The restaurant is larger than it appears from the outside and appears to be clean. There are several spacious tables and booths. It’s a family-style atmosphere with lots of chatter; it was a bit noisy for my taste. The radio was set to 92.3 The Beat and the volume was pretty loud. This did not make for a very relaxing meal.

I ordered the House Combo #23: two fried chicken thighs, candy yams, greens and corn bread, and added a side of macaroni and cheese. I decided to go “take out” so I could enjoy my meal in solitude. I was disappointed to find the yams were missing from my order. The thighs were fried to a crisp golden brown and tender to the bone for the most part. The seasoning was excellent, but there was too much grease. I ate only one piece. The greens were average, but I was happy to find they were not sweetened with sugar as found in some other soul food establishments. The corn bread was dry and the macaroni and cheese did not taste homemade. All told, the meal was average, not horrible. I asked other patrons about their favorites. Some mentioned the buckwheat waffles and the breakfast plates with grits, eggs, chicken and waffles.

In summary, if I’m going to break several of my healthful living rules to indulge in foods that are fried, that are high in fat, salt and white flour and that are slathered in cheese, I want taste that will knock me off my feet.
Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles missed the mark.

Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles, 621 West Manchester Blvd. Inglewood, CA 90301
Parking: Lot
WiFi: Yes
Accepts Cash, Credit and ATM Debit
Attire: Casual

AfroFuturism Film Series: Inglewood Main Library comes alive on Saturdays

The Brickbat Revue’s AfroFuturism Film Festival— curated by Gary Dauphin— is coming to a finis this Saturday, March 30.
It’s been nearly four weeks of filmic themes, each of which have cinematically peeled away the layers of white-wash that have been overlaid in Hollywood’s versions of the future.

Throughout the weekends of March, movie-goers watched adventures in sonic fiction with legendary Sun Ra, took in an alternative black history with Ivan Dixon and explored black biopolitics in Ganga and Hess.

Ganga and Hess, the penultimate filmic offering, is a Dracula that explored the trappings of being black and not part of the unwashed masses.

The aesthetic of Ganga and Hess invokes Oscar Micheaux. What appeared to be stagey acting became cleverly claustrophobic as the story wore on, lending the film a pre-post-modern feel.

Ganja... perceives black people through the lens of socioeconomic class.
Upper-class black vampires sucking on the blood of working class black people in order to get into some random party by some random white guy.

Of course, not one of them made it to the party, and we never learn that random white guy’s identity. I mean—do we really need to learn it?

The last installment of the AfroFuturism Film Festival will show the documentary The Last Angel of History (1996) by John Akomfrah and Pumzi (2000) by Kenyan director Wanuri Kahiu.
We hope to see you there!

AfroFuturism’s final March film will air this Saturday, March 30 at 10:45 a.m. at the Gladys Waddingham Lecture Hall, Inglewood Public Library, 101 W Manchester Blvd. Ingle- wood, 90301 . For more info, please e-mail

Book Sale at Inglewood Public Library

For the first time in several years, the newly reactivated Friends of Inglewood Public Library will hold a Humongous Book Sale. The place to be is the Friends Room on the parking lot level of the Main Library at 101 W. Manchester Blvd. in Inglewood on Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Look for the balloons and come early for best selection.

There will be hundreds of hardcover books on a wide variety of subjects to choose from: fiction, non-fiction, travel, religious, sewing, crafts and cook books, just to name a few. In addition there will be self-help, exercise, and new mother books.

Movie fans will have tons of choices as well. There will be DVDs and VHS of classics, action, adventure, drama, comedy and workout. There will also be books and plays on tape.

If music is your thing, there will be lots to choose from in a variety styles. The sale will also feature a large children’s section replete with a similar variety of formats: books, DVDs and VHS. The children’s film selection in particular will offer classics, cartoons and sing-a- longs. For students there will be study DVDs and books.

Proceeds from the sale benefit the Inglewood Library through book purchases for the collection and sponsorship of children’s and adult programs. Sales are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

S.H.I.N.E. Mawusi at Motherland Music First Annual Women’s African Drum & Wellness Conference

On a recent Saturday I stepped into a room filled with rhythm and sisterhood in Inglewood. I was at the first annual Women’s African Drum & Wellness Conference put on by the All Women’s Drumming Alliance, S.H.I.N.E. Mawausi, at Motherland Music.

“You look like the aunt I was named after,” said a woman named Beverly as I walked into the conference. She then requested that I take a photo with her, so that she could remember me.

“You look like my niece too.” It was truly a sisterhood event.
The middle room was filled with drums and women. There was a demonstration by Shin Kanarazu Daiko, a Taiko drumming group out of Loyola Marymount University. There was a bounty of healthful food by vendors.

It was a bohemian “blk grrrl” dream. (Blk grrrl = Alternative black woman.)
I met the organizer of the event, Rene Fisher-Mims aka Moma Nay Nay. She was a shy woman with a youthful face and apple cheeks.

Catch S.H.I.N.E. Mawausi’s at the Leimert Park Artwalk, the last Sunday of every month.

Paul R. Williams: Classic Hollywood Style

written by Karen E. Hudson, with a foreword by Kelly Wearstler

Karen Hudson, granddaughter of one of America’s greatest architects, is the author of some rather fine titles with the purpose of unearthing the early history of Black L.A.

Unlike most coffee table books, Classic Hollywood Style offers significant text to help reinvigorate the memories of an architect whose brilliance was overshadowed by a nation’s peculiar obsession with skin color.

With the precision akin to that possessed by Williams, Hudson navigates an otherwise treacly channel that has been made intentionally murky. That Williams’ brilliant and prolific work has for so long been appreciated by so few is a loss to the melting pot culture that once defined the United States and has since come to make it an admirable nation.

With this title—and a forthcoming one that we understand will be published this year—Williams’ work can be appreciated as it was always meant.

Exterior and decorated interior shots find equal space in this impressive tome.

Few have probably been allowed to personally visit the interiors of the houses he built; this book will help satisfy that longing.

As more and more of Williams’ buildings fall victim to the Southern California concept of constant “rebirth,” documents such as this are more than art; they are historical documents.

Williams’ many subtle architectural signatures can easily hold a candle to the embellishments of architect, book designer and typographer William Morris. To be sure, Williams organic sense of design remains a pleasure to behold.

($65.00: Rizzoli Int’l Publications, October 2012, hardback 240 pages, )