Mervyn Malcolm Dymally

Congressman Mervyn Dymally represented California’s 31st District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 to 1993 (97th-102nd Congresses). A longtime member of the California legislature before coming to Congress, Dymally was the first Back elected to statewide office in California. During his 12 years of Congressional tenure, Dymally served on the Foreign Affairs, District of Columbia, the Post Office and Civil Service, and Science and Technology committees. Dymally eventually was subcommittee chairman on the Foreign Affairs Committee, where he was an outspoken advocate for international human rights and economic development, particularly in Africa and the Caribbean. He was a vocal critic of apartheid in South Africa and advocated imposing sanctions against the minority-white government. His advocacy in the House also focused on the necessity of economic development. He chaired the District of Columbia’s Subcommittee on Judiciary and Education, supported statehood for the majority-Black city, and increased funding for education programs for minorities. Dymally worked as a foreign affairs consultant for Caribbean, African, and Asian interests upon his retirement. In 2002, he was elected again to the California state assembly. Dymally earned a bachelor’s degree in education from California State University, Los Angeles. He also earned an M.A. in government from California State University, Sacramento, and a Ph.D. in human behavior from the United States International University (now Alliant International University).