Dorothy Dandridge – an American actress and popular singer. First African American to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for the movie Carmen Jones.
Television / Film Personality
Woody Strode – (Actor, Football Player) Veteran of 30 films including "The Ten Commandments −1956", "Spartacus −1960", "Posse" −1993 (See Football)
Merry Clayton – Actress, Singer – Eight Episode of "Cagney and Lacey", Acted in "Maid to Order" with Alley Sheedy (See Singer below)
Juanita Moore – Actress – The 4th African American nominated for an Oscar. Participated in over 50 movies; best known for her role as the mother in the movie "Imitation of Life"
John Meehan Known as "Francis"–Jefferson Plays,U.S.C Architecture,then Motion Picture Art Director. Won Academy Awards for Art Direction for the films: "The Heiress","Sunset Blvd","20,000 Leagues Under the Sea", Television Art Direction:Emmy Nomination-G.E.Theatre. Graduated Class of 1922.
Politician / Judicial
Ralph Bunche (1922) – Educator, UN mediator on Palestine and Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Thelton Henderson – Federal Judge in the Northern District of California.
Willard H. Murray, Jr. – California State Assembly Member 1988–1996 (District 52); California Institute for the Preservation of Jazz. Current director of the Water Replenishment District 1. Father of Former State Senator Kevin Murray ref: Testimony of Buddy Collette & Marl Young
Augustus F. Hawkins – U.S. House of Representatives from California's 21st and 29th district from 1963–1991; California assembly from 1935–1963
William R Clay – Appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to Superior Court judge in October 1976
Earl C. Gay (1902–75), Los Angeles City Council member, 1933–45
Journalist
Stanley Crouch – Syndicated Columnist and Novelist. Created nine Non-Fiction novel and 2 Fiction novels. He is a Controversial anti-rap critic; His novel "Ain't No Ambulances For No Nigguhs Tonight" was typical writings against the non-sophisticated black man.
Composer / Writer /Music Director
Floyd Dixon – Songwriter, Singer – Hit Songs "Telephone Blues", "Call Operator 210" and "Hey Bartender", the latter enjoying wide exposure by the release of 1980 hit "The Blues Brothers".
Roy Ayers – Jazz Composer and Vibraphone player – Arranged Musical Score for 1973 movie "Coffy" and classic albums "Running Away 1976" and "Mystic Voyage 1975".
Barry White – Record Producer, Singer Song Writer; Five times Grammy Award Winner; attended Jefferson for sophomore and junior year.
Horace Tapscott – Jazz Piano player and composer Subject of UCLA Jazz Archive called the Horace Tapscott Collection. Creator of "The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra (P.A.P.A.)".
Merry Clayton – (Singer, Actress) Solo and Backup. Recorded "Gimme Shelter" duet with Mick Jagger. "Who can I count on" with Bobby Darin. (Also see Television/film)
O.C. Smith – Jazz Singer, Minister Performed with Count Basie Orchestra; he recorded the first version of the song "That Life" made famous by Frank Sinatra. He had numerous hit songs in his long career.
Mel Walker – Lead Singer with the Johnny Otis Orchestra " No 1 hits "Mistrustin' Blues" and "Cupid Boogie"
Cornell Gunter – Lead Singer – Original member of the The Platters and a member of The Coasters singing group. Transferred to Manual Arts his senior year.
Jennell Hawkins – Lead Singer – famous for her hit "Moments to Remember"
Arthur Lee Maye – of Arthur Lee Maye and the Crowns, was lead singer of the pioneering groups of the Doo Wop genre in the early 1950s.
Richard Berry -Singer, songwriter, musician. Most famous for writing Louie Louie, Berry performed with numerous Los Angeles doo-wop groups including The Flairs.
Sports
Emmett Ashford – First African American Umpire in Major League Baseball
Milt Davis – NFLFootball – Played four years for the Baltimore Colts from 1957 to 1961; including winning the 1958 NFL Championship games known as the "Greatest Game ever Played"
Charles Dumas – Olympic Track – High Jump (Olympic and World Record Holder), the first person to clear seven feet (1956 Olympic trials); Attended Jefferson in his sophomore and Junior years; transferred to Centennial High School in Compton
Robert Garrett - 5 Time CIF LA CITY DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL COACH from Crenshaw High School (Los Angeles)
Billy 'the Hill' McGill – NBA Basketball, - Played on the Chicago Zephyrs (now Washington Wizards), the New York Knicks, the St. Louis (now Atlanta) Hawks, and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Mal Whitfield – Olympic Track – gold medalist middle distance runner in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and father of current CNN news anchor Fredricka Whitfield
Jazz Era Music Teacher and Mentors
William Grant Still – Gave Music Clinics to Jefferson student in Samuel R Browne era.
Jimmie Lunceford – Gave Music Clinics in 1930's to Jefferson student