May 22, 1978
Ralph J. Bunche House - National Register of Historic Places
Statement of Significance: The house at 1221 East 40th Place is significant for its association with Ralph «J. Bunche, holder of a Nobel Peace Prize and diplomat of international significance. Ralph Bunche moved into the house with his grandmother, aunts, and uncle, and sister in early 1919. He was lit years old at the time and a student at Thirtieth Street Intermediate School (now called John Adams Junior High). In the fall of 1919, he entered Jefferson High School from which school he graduated in 1922. He lived in the house until the summer of 1927, (eight years), graduating from three schools during his residence there? Thirtieth Street, Jefferson High, and U.C.L.A. Although he left Los Angeles in August of 1927 to attend Harvard University for his graduate study, he regarded the house at 1221 as his home until his marriage in 1930. The original address of the house was 1221 East 37th Street. The city of Los Angeles changed the street numbers in 1938 and the street was renumbered 40th Place. (There is no longer a 37th Street). Dr. Bunche was the first Ph.D. in political science of his race in the nation. He became a member of the faculty of Howard University, Washington D.C. in 1928 and established its Department of Political Science. One of his former students is Senator Edward Brooke of Massachusetts. During 1938-UO he collaborated with Gunnar Myrdal in the comprehensive study of the American Negro an American Dilemma (19UU). (His research, contained in a 600-page memorandum, was published by the University of Chicago in 1973 under the title The Political Status of the Negro in the Age of FDR by Ralph J. Bunche.) In 1941-42 He was Senior Social Science Analyst (Africa and the Far East) in the Office of the Coordinator of Information, Washington D.C.; in 19U2-Uli he was in the Africa Section, Research and Analysis Branch of the Office of Strategic Services, becoming Chief of the Africa Section. In 1944, he was invited to join the State Department, where he successively held a number of important positions including Associate Chief and Acting Chief of the Division of Dependent Area Affairs, Office of Special Political Affairs. He was a member of the United States delegation to the Dumbarton Oaks Conference in 1944-, the United Nations Conference on International Organization at San Francisco in 1945, and the First General Assembly of the United Nations in London in 1946, In 1946, the United Nations requested his services on loan from the U.S. State Department, and he subsequently resigned from the State Department and accepted a permanent post in the United Nations Secretariat. anent post in the United Nations Secretariat. Dr. Bunche became involved in the Palestine deliberations in 1947. After the death in September 1948 of Count Folke Bernadotte, Dr. Bunche was appointed by the Security Council as Acting United Nations Mediator in Palestine, and in this capacity directed the negotiations at Rhodes and elsewhere (from January to July of 1949) which resulted in the four Armistice Agreements between Israel and the Arab States. For this achievement he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950.Armistice Agreements between Israel and the Arab States. For this achievement he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950. Dr. Bunche was Principal Director of the Department of Trusteeship of the United Nations from 19li7 to 19Sh. In January 1955 he was named Under-Secretary. In 1957 his title was expanded to Under-Secretary for Special Political Affairs. During his years in the United Nations, he was called upon to work in many sensitive areas including the Suez crisis of 1956, problems in the Near East through the years, problems in Africa (the Congo in I960), established the U.N. Peace-Keeping Force in Cyprus in 1961|, the India-Pakistan conflict, and others. He was an ardent supporter of human rights, especially in the U.S.A. He was the recipient of numerous honorary degrees and awards. Among the latter are Phi Beta Kappa, the Nobel Peace Prize of 1950, the Spingarn Medal in 19U9 the Four Freedoms Award in 1951, the Peace Award of the Third Order of St. Francis, and others. Dr. Bunche died December 9, 1971, a few short weeks after resigning his U.N. post because of ill health.
Ralph J. Bunche House - National Register of Historic Places
Statement of Significance: The house at 1221 East 40th Place is significant for its association with Ralph «J. Bunche, holder of a Nobel Peace Prize and diplomat of international significance. Ralph Bunche moved into the house with his grandmother, aunts, and uncle, and sister in early 1919. He was lit years old at the time and a student at Thirtieth Street Intermediate School (now called John Adams Junior High). In the fall of 1919, he entered Jefferson High School from which school he graduated in 1922. He lived in the house until the summer of 1927, (eight years), graduating from three schools during his residence there? Thirtieth Street, Jefferson High, and U.C.L.A. Although he left Los Angeles in August of 1927 to attend Harvard University for his graduate study, he regarded the house at 1221 as his home until his marriage in 1930. The original address of the house was 1221 East 37th Street. The city of Los Angeles changed the street numbers in 1938 and the street was renumbered 40th Place. (There is no longer a 37th Street). Dr. Bunche was the first Ph.D. in political science of his race in the nation. He became a member of the faculty of Howard University, Washington D.C. in 1928 and established its Department of Political Science. One of his former students is Senator Edward Brooke of Massachusetts. During 1938-UO he collaborated with Gunnar Myrdal in the comprehensive study of the American Negro an American Dilemma (19UU). (His research, contained in a 600-page memorandum, was published by the University of Chicago in 1973 under the title The Political Status of the Negro in the Age of FDR by Ralph J. Bunche.) In 1941-42 He was Senior Social Science Analyst (Africa and the Far East) in the Office of the Coordinator of Information, Washington D.C.; in 19U2-Uli he was in the Africa Section, Research and Analysis Branch of the Office of Strategic Services, becoming Chief of the Africa Section. In 1944, he was invited to join the State Department, where he successively held a number of important positions including Associate Chief and Acting Chief of the Division of Dependent Area Affairs, Office of Special Political Affairs. He was a member of the United States delegation to the Dumbarton Oaks Conference in 1944-, the United Nations Conference on International Organization at San Francisco in 1945, and the First General Assembly of the United Nations in London in 1946, In 1946, the United Nations requested his services on loan from the U.S. State Department, and he subsequently resigned from the State Department and accepted a permanent post in the United Nations Secretariat. anent post in the United Nations Secretariat. Dr. Bunche became involved in the Palestine deliberations in 1947. After the death in September 1948 of Count Folke Bernadotte, Dr. Bunche was appointed by the Security Council as Acting United Nations Mediator in Palestine, and in this capacity directed the negotiations at Rhodes and elsewhere (from January to July of 1949) which resulted in the four Armistice Agreements between Israel and the Arab States. For this achievement he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950.Armistice Agreements between Israel and the Arab States. For this achievement he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950. Dr. Bunche was Principal Director of the Department of Trusteeship of the United Nations from 19li7 to 19Sh. In January 1955 he was named Under-Secretary. In 1957 his title was expanded to Under-Secretary for Special Political Affairs. During his years in the United Nations, he was called upon to work in many sensitive areas including the Suez crisis of 1956, problems in the Near East through the years, problems in Africa (the Congo in I960), established the U.N. Peace-Keeping Force in Cyprus in 1961|, the India-Pakistan conflict, and others. He was an ardent supporter of human rights, especially in the U.S.A. He was the recipient of numerous honorary degrees and awards. Among the latter are Phi Beta Kappa, the Nobel Peace Prize of 1950, the Spingarn Medal in 19U9 the Four Freedoms Award in 1951, the Peace Award of the Third Order of St. Francis, and others. Dr. Bunche died December 9, 1971, a few short weeks after resigning his U.N. post because of ill health.
May 22, 1978
Posted Date
Mar 15, 2022
Historical Record Date
May 22, 1978
Source Name
United States Department of Interior - National Park Service
