Mervyn Dymally

Mervyn Dymally
Member of the California State Assembly from the 52nd district
In office December 7, 2002 – December 1, 2008
Preceded by	Carl Washington
Succeeded by	Isadore Hall III
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 31st district
In office January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1993
Preceded by	Charles H. Wilson
Succeeded by	Walter R. Tucker III (redistricted)
41st Lieutenant Governor of California
In office January 6, 1975 – January 8, 1979
Governor	Jerry Brown
Preceded by	John L. Harmer
Succeeded by	Mike Curb
Member of the California Senate from the 29th district
In office January 2, 1967 – January 6, 1975
Preceded by	Vernon Sturgeon
Succeeded by	Bill Greene
Member of the California State Assembly from the 53rd district
In office January 7, 1963 – January 2, 1967
Preceded by	Montivel Burke
Succeeded by	Bill Greene
Personal details
Born	Mervyn Malcolm Dymally (1926-05-12)May 12, 1926 Cedros, Trinidad and Tobago
Died	October 7, 2012(2012-10-07) (aged 86) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place	Holy Cross Cemetery
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Amentha Wilkes Alice Gueno
Children	2
Education	California State University, Los Angeles (BA) California State University, Sacramento (MA) Alliant International University, San Diego (PhD)

Mervyn Malcolm Dymally (May 12, 1926 – October 7, 2012) was an American politician from California. He served in the California State Assembly (1963–1966) and the California State Senate (1967–1975) as the 41st Lieutenant Governor of California (1975–1979) and in the U.S. House of Representatives (1981–1993). Dymally returned to politics a decade later to serve in the California State Assembly (2003–2008).^[1]

Dymally was the first Trinidadian to serve California as State Senator and Lieutenant Governor. He was one of the first persons of Dougla (mixed African and Indian) origin to serve in the U.S. Congress.

In 1974, he and George L. Brown became among the first African Americans elected to statewide state office since Oscar Dunn did so during Reconstruction.^[2]

Dymally was the second African-American to hold statewide office in California, following Wilson Riles who served as California Superintendent of Public Instruction starting in 1971.