Longtime congressman was champion of minority rights: Edward R. Roybal 1916-2005.

Services are pending for former longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Edward R. Roybal, a champion of minority rights who fought for bilingual proceedings in court.

Roybal, for whom the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles is named, died of pneumonia Monday at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, according to an aide to his daughter, Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Los Angeles. He was 89.

Local elected officials Tuesday remembered Roybal as a trailblazer in politics for Latinos, noting that he was the first Latino from California to be elected to Congress since 1879. He served in the House of Representatives from 1963 to 1993.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa released a statement, calling Roybal a "champion" for civil rights and social justice.

"Edward Roybal served as a symbol of Latino hopes and dreams," Villaraigosa said. "He represented a community active in civic life who wanted nothing less than what all Americans strive for: a good job, safe neighborhoods, quality schools and a place to call home."

County Supervisor Gloria Molina, who called Roybal her mentor, praised him as a political legend.

"I and so many from my generation were touched deeply by the leadership of this man," Molina said in a statement. "He inspired so many of us to do unbelievable things on behalf of the residents we served. His legacy will live on forever."

"Ed Roybal was, in every sense, a gifted public servant," Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, said. "He was a trailblazer and icon of the Latino community. He paved the way to political power for today's Latino elected officials."

City and county flags were flown at half-staff in Roybal's memory.

Roybal was born in Albuquerque, N.M., in 1916 and was 6 when his family moved to Boyle Heights. He graduated from Roosevelt High School, then studied business at UCLA and law at Southwestern University School of Law.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

In 1947, Roybal stepped onto the political scene, waging an unsuccessful run for a City Council seat.

Later that year, he helped create the Community Service Organization, which led a movement against discrimination in housing, employment and education and helped spur political involvement among Latinos by holding voter-registration and get-out-the-vote drives in East Los Angeles.

In 1949, Roybal ran for the City Council again. This time, he won, beginning a 13-year tenure on the council. Roybal gained attention when he opposed legislation requiring written oaths of American loyalty for employment purposes.

He headed to Washington, D.C., after his 1962 election to Congress.

Roybal continued his work on behalf of underserved individuals throughout his 30 years as a congressman.

In addition to introducing legislation to provide bilingual court proceedings, he was the author of the first bilingual education bill and played a significant role in the passage of legislation to outlaw age discrimination.

In 1976, Roybal became one of the founding members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Two years later, he and two other California representatives were reprimanded in connection with a House investigation on vote-buying by a lobbyist, but Roybars career continued for another 14 years.

He chose not to run for re-election in 1992. Instead, his daughter became a congresswoman that year, representing part of her father's old district.

In addition to Roybal-Allard, Roybal is survived by his wife, Lucille Beserra-Roybal, his son, Edward Roybal Jr., and another daughter, Lillian Roybal-Rose.

The Associated Press contributed to this story