P.O. Box 11622
Oakland, CA
94611
Resolution of the MGO Democratic Club:
Honoring One of its Founding Members, Bruce Black
(1923 - 2004)
Whereas in the 1950's Oakland was
primarily Republican and no Democratic was Elected to any Office;
Whereas Bruce Black was a founding member of the 16th Assembly District
Democratic Club, a club formed to elect Democrats to office;
Whereas with the driving force of Bruce Black, the 16th AD Democratic Club,
evolved into the Metropolitan Greater Oakland Democratic Club;
Whereas Bruce Black facilitated the first MGO Democratic victory, electing Nick
Petris to the California State Assembly;
Whereas Bruce Black was an early supporter of Oakland’s first African American
Mayor, Lionel Wilson, under whom Bruce served as Oakland Planning
Commissioner;
Whereas over the past decade, Bruce Black served as MGO President, member of the
Executive Board, and Political Action Chair;
Whereas Bruce Black was a champion for education and fought to establish an
Education Task Force in MGO which is active to this day;
Whereas Bruce Black co-authored the MGO Education Platform;
Whereas Bruce Black regularly participated in the First Tuesday Democratic
Luncheon at the Mexicali Rose Restaurant in Downtown Oakland;
Whereas at the demise of the First Tuesday Democratic Luncheon, Bruce Black
revived it, and it continues to meet monthly;
Whereas Bruce Black continued to be invaluable to the MGO Club, the Democratic
Party, and Oakland for decades;
Now, therefore, the Metropolitan Greater Oakland Democratic Club gives thanks
and gratitude to Bruce Black, a patriarch of our Club and of the Democratic
Party in Oakland.