By Carolanne Boughton, Staff Writer
On October 2nd, Sacramento’s California Museum opened its doors for this years inductees to the California Hall of Fame. They are the eighth group of additions to the Hall, an exhibit that commends “legendary people who embody California’s innovative spirit.” All the inductees are accomplished in their particular field and are somehow connected to California.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar is one of the most recognized and accomplished basketball players in California.The California Museum gloats that at his retirement, “no NBA player had ever scored more points, blocked more shots, won more MVP Awards, or played in more All-Star Games than Kareem Abdul Jabbar.” Jabbar attended UCLA, played for the Lakers from 1975-1989, and currently lives in Los Angeles.
Charlotta Bass (1874-1969) was a civil rights advocate. After moving to California in 1912, Bass became the first African-American woman to own and operate a newspaper in the United States. In 1952, Bass became the first African-American woman to be nominated for the Vice Presidency of the United States. Bass resided in the Los Angeles area from 1912 until her death.
Francis Coppola, yet another of this year’s inductees, is considered one of the leading motion pictures directors of the twentieth century. After graduating from the Theater, Film, and Television program at UCLA, Coppola made his directorial debut with You’re A Big Boy Now (1966). Coppola is most known for The Godfather (1972), which he co-wrote and directed. The movie transformed the gangster genre and for a time was the highest grossing movie ever made. With the sequel, The Godfather Part II (1974), Coppola cemented his position as one of America’s top directors as the second director to win three Academy Awards for the same film. Coppola now resides in the Napa Valley.
Joan Didion has been recognized as one of America’s leading authors since the 1960s. She is a fifth-generation Californian and has lived in Southern California for 25 years. Didion is especially significant to our community because she attended C.K. McClatchy. Didion is not only widely popular, but her work is also highly critically acclaimed. The California Museum website gushes that her concise prose “explores contradictions and seeks truths beyond the accepted mythology of the state.” Didion’s work depicts a picture of Californians and the Californian lifestyle to readers around the globe. More recently, Didion has published essays that have explored the universal themes of life, love, and loss.
Fred Ross, Sr. (1910-1992), born in San Francisco, was recognized as a trailblazer for social justice. He began his activism in the late 1930s, when he organized Dust Bowl refugees. Ross was a manager of one of California’s migratory worker camps and wanted to help the camp’s residents form camp councils and achieve self-governance. He was the only manager of one of the migratory worker camps to challenge racial segregation. Ross passed away in 1992, leaving a legacy of social change behind him.
Stephen Schneider (1945-2010), is still thought of as one of the world’s top climatologists. Schneider played a leading role in educating the public about the danger of greenhouse gas emission in global warming and promoted a switch to clean energy. Later in his life, he served on the faculty of Stanford University from 1992-2010.
Mimi Silbert is the co-founder, president, and CEO of the Delancey Street Foundation, which is a residential educational community that serves ex-felons, substance abusers, prostitutes, and others in crisis. Silbert earned her Master’s and Doctorate degrees at UC Berkeley and has lived in California for fifty years. She has been called a “pioneer of social entrepreneurship.” For forty-three years, Delancey Street has provided residents with academic, vocational, and social skills, at no cost to the client or taxpayer. The organization also provides clients with the discipline and values they need to live successfully in modern society. There are currently over 18,000 successful graduates from Delancey Street.
Andre “Dr. Dre” Young was recognized for his contribution to the entertainment field. Young was born in Los Angeles and now resides there. With his participation in one of the most-revolutionary groups of all time, N.W.A., Dr. Dre changed the world of music. He incorporated his innovative production of a “dense but funky beatscape that became the foundation of a new genre of music: gangster rap,” according to the museum’s website. In his first solo album, Dr. Dre brought hip-hop into the mainstream. The album went triple platinum and earned him a Grammy Award. Dr. Dre served as a mentor for many top rappers, such as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and 50 Cent. He was the first hip-hop producer to win a Grammy for Producer of the Year.
Jimmy Iovine started his career as a studio go-fer (an employee who specializes in delivery of special items to their superiors) in the 1970s. He quickly gained recognition for his engineering and producing. Iovine co-founded Interscope Records in 1990. The record label became the hottest label of the decade because of its daring choice to bet on gangsta rap acts, including Dr. Dre. He stood as the longtime chairman of Interscope Records, where he mentored U2 and Eminem. Iovine now resides in Los Angeles.
This year’s inductees illustrate the range of talent that Californians have. The California Museum gives the state a communal sense of pride for the accomplishments of its people. With new inductees added each year, the California Hall of Fame will serve as a lasting legacy for individuals who are connected to California and have revolutionized their line of work or study.