ALVIN LEON TAYLOR, PHD

Writer. Leader. World Traveler. Scholar. Philanthropist. Advocate.

Husband. Father. Brother. Mwalimu (Teacher). Merchant. Soldier in Christ’s Army.

 

 

On November 7, 1941, Alvin Leon Taylor was born to Robert Donald Taylor, Sr., and Dollora Virginia Hill Taylor, at White Memorial Hospital.  At that time, the family was living in Aliso Village.  Young Leon excelled in academics at Los Angeles Academy and graduated in 1954 from middle school as president of his 8th grade class. He continued his education at Lynwood Academy where He enjoyed sports and played his trumpet in the academy band.  In February, 1958, he joined the Lord’s Army and was baptized on the Lynwood campus by Pastor Dennis T Black.  Every night, he upset some of the 49th Street neighbors when he would blow “Taps” outside at 10 p.m.  Leon graduated from Lynwood Academy in June, 1958. He began attending Berean SDA Church when it was located on 49th and Western before the present sanctuary was constructed.  Often on Sundays he would play softball on the Berean team in the morning, have lunch at the construction site, and then help to build the current sanctuary with Elder Black as his supervisor.

Fridays in the Taylor household were music filled.  Baths were taken before Sabbath with recorded music in the background. At sunset the Berean youth choir would meet and rehearse in the living room of the family home on 49th Street.  The choir director was Leon’s brother, Robert Taylor, Jr.  Choir members included: Zondra, Carlton and Yvonne Price, Cheryl Bernoudy, Ben Marbury, Curtis Young, and Dr. Terry Roberts.   

Leon learned the art and skill of labor from his parents as well as other family members. His Hill ancestors worked on the railroad and both Hill and Taylor ancestors were farm people.  All of the men and women on the block he grew up on got up every morning and went to work.  As a young boy, Leon worked very hard in the family businesses. When his father was injured in an auto accident, the brothers were driven by their mother from residence to residence and maintained the family business, Robert Taylor’s Artistic Landscaping and Gardening Service.  In 1957, his father opened and operated Dollar Stretcher Outlet Store. Leon worked with other family members and was particularly helpful in the area of finance.  He had a paper route during his teen years that was so large that when he left home to start attending Oakwood College, the Sentinel route was divided between his younger siblings Calvin Maurice and William James.

At Oakwood College Leon had the prestigious job of Janitor in Cunningham Hall, the girl’s dormitory.  In spite of being busy furthering his education, he always found time to assist with the family business.  He transferred to L.A. Metropolitan College of Business and earned the degree of Associate of Arts cum laude on June 16, 1961. At that time, He was elected to permanent membership in the California Junior College Honor Scholarship Society – Alpha Gamma Sigma.

He continued his education at Pacific Union College, in Angwin, California and graduated June 2, 1963 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social studies. On the same day, his brother Robert Donald Taylor, Jr., graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Religion.

In August, 1963, Leon traveled with his mother and Vernell Floyd (Obadeyi) in a 1954 Oldsmobile “88” across the country to the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.  He heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech live.  He heard Mahalia Jackson and Joan Baez sing.  He listened to speeches from eloquent speakers like Bayard Rustin and John Lewis.  He mingled with the likes of Harry Belafonte, Richard “Dick” Gregory and Paul Newman.

In 1964, he worked in the larger showroom which became Robert Taylor Furniture.  Leon helped with banking, purchasing, and any other tasks that required his assistance. 

Leon earned a Master’s of Arts Degree with a double major in Business Administration and Social Studies from Pacific Union College on June 7, 1964.  As a young man, he often referred to himself as A. Lion.  This practice led to him being called Simba (Lion in Kiswahili) throughout the better part of his adult life. 

Simba heard the call From President John F. Kennedy “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”  and decided to join the Peace Corps.  His application was initially rejected as he was considered inflexible due to being a vegetarian and requiring Sabbath rest.  His tenacious nature would not allow him to accept defeat so he appealed this decision and was allowed to go to Syracuse for training.  While there he became certified in Kiswahili.  Unfortunately, at his graduation he was rejected again.  Unwilling to give up, he decided to use the money for his ticket back to Los Angeles to go to Washington DC to appeal this decision.  He succeeded in being accepted into the Peace Corps but had to travel alone.  By this time, the other volunteers in his class had already deployed. 

Once he arrived in Tanzania, he asked to be assigned to an SDA school.  His request was granted and he was sent to Suji Primary School where he taught and fell in love with the lovely gem of Suji—Pheno Kashimbiri.  Unfortunately for him, Pheno was too young to marry and the sad and lonely Simba had to wait for her for 5 long years.  While waiting for his bride-to-be to turn 21, guess how he spent part of his time?  He climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and reached its highest peak (Uhuru Peak) which is snowcapped 365 days a year.  He was later transferred and taught at Nkwarungo Upper Primary School.  While there, he received from the United Republic of Tanzania, Civil Service Commission, his examination certificate in higher standard oral Kiswahili.  Mwalimu(teacher) Simba had the rare privilege of being photographed with the late first president of the United Republic of Tanzania, Julius Nyerere, in their younger days and again when they were both more mature. 

Post Peace Corps days, Leon began a teaching assignment in the Social Studies Department of Compton High School.  He taught History, Black History, Typing, and Swahili.  During a summer break, he returned to Tanzania to wed.  The dashing Leon and the lovely Pheno married on June 25, 1970.  They honeymooned on the beautiful Isle of Zanzibar. 

Simba and Pheno relocated from Tanzania to Southern California to a new way of life for his bride and her groom.  While Pheno helped to establish the home, Leon returned to Compton High School to teach.  On June 28th the following year, they welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the family.  This infant was named Nampombe Dollora Nakadori Yvette Suzánne Marie Taylor.  Her name honored several family members as well as a couple of outstanding students from Compton High.   Simba swelled with pride at her matriculation from Busy Bee to Oakwood College.  Four weeks after his daughter was born, the family moved to Tanzania to enable Leon to research his doctoral thesis at Marangu Teacher’s Training College. 

After his tenure at Compton High School ended, Leon became a columnist for a local newspaper and his column, “Did You Know?”  placed emphasis on little known Black History facts.

Leon earned by original research, “The Tanzanianization of Primary Teacher Preparation: Patterns, Practices and Problems,” in Education, the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of California at Los Angeles on September 12, 1975. On this date, he shared the graduation stage with one of his junior high school administrators, Dr. David S. J. Van Putten.

He was the Associate Director of Project STRIDE (Service, Training, and Research in Desegregated Education – Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development) with offices in San Francisco and Inglewood, CA.  While there, he wrote a training manual called “Workshops—The Educator’s Manual for Coordinating the Complete Conference.”  STRIDE’s mission was to carry out surveys, research, development and demonstrations in education and to disseminate information derived from such activities. During his tenure at Far West Laboratories, Project STRIDE, Leon earned his School Administration Credential for Life.

According to the Los Angeles Sentinel, on Thursday, September 1, 1977, the L.A. Academy 8th grade Class of ‘54 completed plans for a reunion of former students, teachers and friends that was scheduled on Sabbath September 10.  Leon chaired a committee which included Barbara Hunter, Jackie Hall, Lovernia Peters, Alan Henry and Robert Johnson.  This event was held at the University SDA Church in Los Angeles.

When his father had a stroke in 1979, Leon left the formal education field, rolled up his sleeves and went to work full time at Adam Sebastian’s Stoves. The store on 6510 Crenshaw Boulevard included a second floor with about 20 steps, and they often would climb up and down in order to pull additional stock.  Leon worked with Peter, Edwin, Henry, Theresa, Chambi, Witness (EvaSmiling), Nampombe, Pheno, Rod, Mary Ann, Willie, Margaret, Snow, Velma, Mary Ann, Ann Marie, Vernell, Kinota, Colleen, Babu (his father), and others. 

Leon’s duties at Adam Sebastian’s included truck driving, delivery and installation, sales, advertising, purchasing, cleaning, repairing and seemingly countless other responsibilities.  He was encouraged by the fact that his father, even though he had lost part of his mobility on his right side, could still load and drive a stick shift truck as needed.  While taking care of the aforementioned tasks at Adam Sebastians, a massive feat in and of itself, the visionary Simba somehow managed to help design and build an 18-unit, 2-story apartment complex on the adjoining property.  Simba placed a high value on education and helped many family members and non-family members complete their educational pursuits, including:  Peter, Edwin, Henry, Theresa, Shangari, Bariki, Dora, and Keto.  There were others who sought his advice and counsel as they worked on their Master’s theses including Lynette and Joe. 

In 1985, Leon was an integral part of the big Los Angeles Academy reunion.  He served with his brothers Robert and William on the coordinating committee and with Dr. Calvin Lloyd on the finance committee.  He became a charter member of the Los Angeles Union SDA School Alumni Association on March 10, 1985.

After some time, Simba outgrew the store on Crenshaw and relocated to 201 North LaBrea Avenue in Inglewood.  He worked tirelessly and fearlessly at this location until his retirement.  Leon served on the nominating committee of the Southern California Conference Constituency Session.  It was not unusual for Simba to work long hours at the store on LaBrea and then drive to Glendale in order to chair and/or work on the Southern California Conference Constitution and Bylaws Committee.   On alternate days he would frequently spend hours working on the constitution and bylaws for the merger of the Lynwood Adventist Academy and Los Angeles Union schools.  When the merger was complete, he served on the school board as well as the finance committee representing the Berean constituents.

As a member of the Berean SDA Church, Alvin Taylor conducted several Revelation Seminars and in 1996, he began writing a weekly BLOG entitled “MARANATHA” to encourage church members, relatives and friends.  His offices and activities at Berean included: Youth Leader, Church Board Member, Treasurer, Sabbath School Teacher, Elder, Head Elder, Elder Emeritus, and Building Committee Chair.  Alvin was mentored by such denominational greats as Dr. Robert Burns, Sister Anita J. Mackey, Elder Major Cornelius White, Elder Earl Canson, Elder Dennis T. Black, Dr. James L. Kyle, Elder Jackson Doggette, Dr. Leslie Pollard, and Dr. Frank W. Hale.  Alvin was head elder when the first female elder (Sister Clara Lamb) was ordained at Berean.

He was often called upon to do remarks and reflections when family and church members passed away.  Were you present when he delivered that great oration at the passing of patriarch Dennis Theodore Black? Did you hear him speak fondly of his friend and schoolmate Frederick Dan Allison? His uncle, Fred Hill, heard him speak at another relative’s funeral and made Leon promise to speak a few words at the time of his departure.  He was also asked to speak when his cousin Fred Hill was laid to rest.

Simba enjoyed typing, creative writing, speech making, and poetry.  Always striving for the best, he insisted on excellence from students, family, and his associates.  Leon often opened his heart his home and his purse for his relatives that would come to continue their education. 

A consummate traveler, Simba’s United States excursions included:  Hawaii, New York, Wisconsin, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nevada, Washington D.C., and Missouri.  His journeys extended far beyond the United States.  Mwalimu (Teacher) Simba’s travels included: Canada, China, Egypt, England, Ethiopia, Ghana, , Hong Kong, India, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Luxemburg, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Norway, Phillipines, Senegal, Spain, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.