FREDERICK MADISON ROBERTS

During the first half of the twentieth century, Frederick Madison Roberts was a prominent Los Angeles newspaper owner, editor, educator and politician. 

He was the great-grandson of Sally Hemings and President Thomas Jefferson.

 In 1900, Roberts had become the first African American to graduate from Los Angeles High School. 

Running for the Assembly in 1918, Roberts defeated four other Republicans in the primary, then endured a racially tinged general election campaign to become the first African American to be elected to the California Legislature. 

One of his opponents handed out cards reading, “My opponent is a n_____.”

Coverage of the landmark election was scant. The Los Angeles Times noted the significance of the election of four women to the State Assembly but buried the Roberts victory in its story about the women. 

“Also elected,” the Times said, “Frederick M. Roberts, a negro.” 

Roberts served in the Assembly for 16 years and is best-known as the author of legislation that established the new Los Angeles campus of the University of California (UCLA).