During the City Council meeting July 23, 2019, City Council members voted unanimously
to support the proclamation, which recognizes San Diego College of Continuing Education as the largest adult education provider of noncredit college instruction in the state
and several important historical events have occurred at SDCE that have impacted the
history of American civil rights.
SDCE’s Educational Cultural Complex (ECC) is one of seven campuses in San Diego. ECC
serves as SDCE’s flagship campus and has established a reputation in southeastern
San Diego as a vibrant educational and cultural center with rich roots, especially
amongst the city’s African American residents.
SDCE’s Historical Preservation Ad Hoc Committee meets regularly to preserve, conserve,
protect and display objects and artifacts of historical significance that belong to
ECC. The committee’s work was instrumental in the creation of the City Council Proclamation.
ECC has been a symbol of community and African American activism since its beginnings
in 1972. Under the leadership of President Turner Cortez, the Committee intends to
memorialize the significant contributions and events that impacted the history of
American civil rights at SDCE.
Many significant events have ties to ECC, including the California Commission to establish
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a federal holiday. Former SDCE Provost, Dr. Robert
Matthews, hosted a committee at ECC and a successful campaign that ultimately established
the federal holiday in 1983.
Civil Rights leader Coretta Scott King delivered a speech at ECC in 1985, award-winning
artist and humanitarian Stevie Wonder performed a concert at ECC in 1986 and Civil
Rights activist and American poet Maya Angelou performed and spoke at ECC in 1987.
SDCE has received numerous first place awards over the past 12 years during the Annual
Martin Luther King Jr. Parade, an event that began out of ECC in 1980 by former SDCE
Provost, Dr. Robert Matthews, and fellow Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (Zeta Sigma Lambda
Chapter) brothers organized.
The San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees adopted a resolution last
year to support the recognition of the impressive civil rights history associated
with ECC. Carlos O. Turner Cortez, Ph.D., President of SDCE, presented plans to request
an official Civil Rights Landmark Designation of SDCE’s ECC and the SDCCD Board of
Trustees approved the submission of a proposal to the City of San Diego for official
Civil Rights Landmark Designation of ECC.
“The inclusion of ECC as a national landmark is important because out of the thousands
of landmarks in San Diego not too often are ethnic and minority groups truly represented,”
said President Turner Cortez. “Too often American history is shared without regard
to racial groups. As a higher education institution, we must continue to celebrate
social justice and cultural diversity because black history is American history. The
public recognition will remind our students about their rich heritage and ancestors
who continued to excel at all areas in life despite hardships and obstacles.”
Every February, SDCE invites the Mountain View community to commemorate Black History Month through art and performance at ECC.
SDCE’s long-term vision is to update the historic theatre at ECC to continue the legacy and inclusion of all cultures by promoting and supporting live performance.