Namesake

Who is Ralph J. Bunche?

We’re honored that our school is named after Ralph Johnson Bunche.

Ralph Johnson Bunche was an American political scientist, diplomat, and leading actor in the mid-20th-century decolonization process and US civil rights movement. Among black Nobel laureates, he is the first African American and first person of African descent to be awarded a Nobel Prize. He was involved in the formation and early administration of the United Nations (UN). He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President John F. Kennedy.

Bunche was a brilliant student, a debater, athlete and the valedictorian of his graduating class at Jefferson High School. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a political science student, and graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 1927 as the valedictorian of his class. Using the money his community raised for his studies and a graduate scholarship at Harvard University, he earned a doctorate in political science.

In early 1971, Bunche resigned from his position at the UN due to declining health, but hoped he would be able to return soon. His health did not improve, and Bunche died December 9, 1971, from complications of heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes. He was 67.

We are honored that our school is named after Ralph Johnson Bunche and we do everything in our power to continue to pay homage to his legacy through our commitment to high-quality, standards-based Tier I instruction.