SACRAMENTO- As the country continues an ongoing tough struggle for justice with fair housing, the recently completed documentary entitled FAIR LEGISLATION: The Byron Rumford Story will provide viewers with an in-depth look into the storied life of one of America’s forgotten civil rights pioneers of the 20th century.

The compelling one-hour film produced and directed by filmmaker Doug Harris, closely examines Northern California’s first black assemblyman who served in the legislature from 1948 to 1966, and was responsible for passing some of the most significant legislation in the history of the Golden State.

Byron Rumford was a Berkeley pharmacist who split his time in the legislature in Sacramento, and continually worked to improve the quality of life for all Californians. During the country’s early stages of the Civil Rights Movement in the South, Rumford was hard at work passing key legislative bills that would sweep the country. As the lontime chair of the state’s Public Health Committee, Rumford passed the landmark Air Pollution Control Act of 1955 to address the state’s growing problems with smog.

The most important legislation passed by Byron Rumford during his long tenure as an assemblyman was the Rumford Fair Housing Act of 1963, which was immediately overturned in 1964 by the voters in California through the passing of Proposition14. The documentary closely examines the politically charged events during the 1964 general election that would derail Rumford’s signature legislation until it would finally be reinstated by US Supreme Court ruling in 1967.

Film includes a dynamic cast that will help viewers relive the social and political climate of Byron Rumford’s pivotal years in office in Sacramento.

The documentary Fair Legislation aired on:
• February 7, 2016 on PBS KQED Plus Channel 9 in San Francisco
• February 14, 2016 at 4pm on WYCC Chicago PBS Channel 20
• February 17, 2016 at 7pm on Channel 6 Sacramento PBS station KVIE
• February 18, 9:00 pm on KVCR-PBS 24.1 (Channel 9 Palm Springs)
• February 27, 2016 at 8pm on PBS SoCal Plus KOCE-TV Channel 50 (serving Los Angeles area)

click here to see complete schedule of television broadcasts

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