Bessie Burke

Bessie Bruington Burke (March 19, 1891 – 1968) was the first African American teacher and principal hired in the Los Angeles public school system.

In 1887, Burke's parents left their farms and teaching jobs in Kansas via a covered wagon. They settled in what is now North Hollywood. Burke attended Berendo Elementary School; Polytechnic High School; and the Los Angeles State Normal School (LANS), which is now a part of the University of California, Los Angeles. Burke graduated seventh in a class of 800 from LANS. By 1911, Burke had received her teaching credentials and became the first black teacher in the Los Angeles Public School System.

Burke served in a number of civic organizations including the YWCA, Native California club, the Women's Political Study Club, and the NAACP. Burke was also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. She retired from the Los Angeles Board of Education in 1955.