James B. Taylor

James Brainard Taylor (January 28, 1927 – April 26, 2016) was one of the first African American principals in Los Angeles and went on to serve in the No. 2 position in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).

Background James Brainard Taylor was the son of William Horace, a postman, and Louise Evangeline (Ponder) Taylor, a homemaker.

He served as a staff sergeant in the Army, where he taught math to fellow soldiers.

In 1967, he became the first principal of Alain LeRoy Locke High School in Watts.

After his assignment at Locke, Taylor became a deputy superintendent at LAUSD. This was during a time of a divisiveness within the district over the issue of integration. Taylor advocated for a measured approach to integration. He favored voluntary programs such as magnet schools to achieve integration.

After retiring from his post at LAUSD, he returned to Adams to teach math.

Legacy The Ánimo James B. Taylor Charter Middle School in Watts is named after him.