The Office of the City Clerk is hosting an exhibit honoring San Diego trailblazers who have dedicated their lives to advancing equality through July 7 in the lobby of the City Administration Building. 

The exhibit highlights Dennis V. Allen, who fought to challenge racial discrimination. Featuring copies of letters and petitions he wrote a century ago, the exhibit details Mr. Allen’s contributions to the city, including successful appeals that resulted in the appointments of San Diego’s first Black firefighters and nurses. 

• In addition to Mr. Allen, visitors can learn about other barrier-breaking San Diegans, including: 
• Henrietta Goodwin, who in 1913 became the first Black graduate of San Diego State University. 
• Howard “Skippy Smith,” who, during the 1940s, opened the nation’s first Black-owned war production factory in San Diego. 
• David Bejarano, who in the late 1990s was appointed the City’s first Hispanic police chief in more than 150 years.