L.A. Honors Forgotten Legacy of Black Officer Killed in 1923 Line of Duty

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nearly a century after his death, Officer Charles P. Williams is finally receiving the recognition that eluded him in life—and in death.

This week, the Los Angeles City Council dedicated the intersection of Central Avenue and 6th Street as “Officer Charles P. Williams Square,” honoring the city’s first known African American police officer to die in the line of duty.

Williams was 35 years old and working vice operations when he was fatally shot on Jan. 13, 1923, while responding to a disturbance at a residence on East 8th Street. Though his death made headlines at the time, the LAPD misidentified his race in official records for decades. As a result, his sacrifice went unrecognized within the department’s historical narrative.

For much of the 20th century, Officer Oscar Joel Bryant, killed in 1968, was believed to be the first Black LAPD officer to die in the line of duty. That belief persisted until the late 1990s, when John Thomas, then an LAPD sergeant, uncovered the truth while researching department history at the downtown public library.

“I found a newspaper photograph that made everything clear,” said Thomas, now assistant chief of USC’s Department of Public Safety. “It was undeniable—Charles P. Williams was African American, and he had been forgotten.”

Williams’ burial mirrored that neglect. Although his funeral was attended by city dignitaries and police officials, his widow, left with a four-year-old child and a modest $1,000 pension, could not afford a headstone. For decades, his grave at Evergreen Cemetery in East Los Angeles remained unmarked.

Following Thomas’s discovery, the Los Angeles Police Memorial Foundation donated a granite marker engraved with a eulogy from Williams’ 1923 funeral: “His achievements in the enforcement of the law will forever be a beacon of light.”

“This is about more than just one officer,” said City Councilwoman Jan Perry, who led this week’s dedication ceremony. “It’s about acknowledging the contributions of Black officers who served under difficult and unequal circumstances.”

In 1923, Black LAPD officers were often assigned only to patrol Black neighborhoods, paired exclusively with other Black officers, and frequently excluded from full participation in the department’s culture and promotions. Despite this, Williams served with distinction and gave his life in the performance of his duty.

No living descendants of Williams are known to reside in Los Angeles, but officials say his story will now have a permanent place in the city’s historical memory.

“His name is now visible,” said Thomas. “And that visibility matters.”