Tom Bradley (politician)

Thomas (Tom) Bradley (December 29, 1917 – September 29, 1998) was the mayor of Los Angeles, California from 1973 to 1993 (five terms), and the first African American mayor of that city. He unsuccessfully ran for governor in 1982 and 1986. In 1982 he was narrowly defeated by then California Attorney General George Deukmejian. On election night, in fact, a number of news organizations made early projections that Bradley had won. In the final tally, however, Deukmejian carried the day by fewer than 53,000 votes. Bradley ran against Deukmejian again in 1986, but the governor won that election comfortably.

Quotations

• "I?m not a black this or a black that. I?m just Tom Bradley."