BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Irma Carson, the first Black woman to serve as an officer in the Bakersfield Police Department and a member of the Bakersfield City Council for 16 years, died at the age of 90.
The California State University, Bakersfield, announced her passing on social media.
In a post, it said Carson earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice in 1978.
CSUB President Dr. Vernon B Harper, Jr. said in the post:
Irma Carson was raised in the segregated South but rose to the highest positions of trust and leadership in her adopted hometown of Bakersfield, opening doors of opportunity to generations of women who are still following her example. After breaking barriers in the workforce, Ms. Carson turned her focus to education, earning a bachelor’s degree at CSUB while juggling a career and motherhood. For her transformational leadership, she was inducted into the CSUB Alunni Hall of Fame and awarded an honorary doctorate by the California State University, one of the most prestigious honors in this nation. We are so proud of Ms. Carson’s record of servant leadership and deeply honored to call her an alumna of Kern County’s University.
Other city leaders also spoke on Carson’s passing. Senator Shannon Grove said in a post in part, “I am deeply saddened by the loss of Irma Carson, a cherished icon in our community. Her life was a reflection of service, compassion, and faith in action.”
Vice Mayor Manpreet Kaur said in part, “Our community mourns the passing of Councilwoman Dr. Irma Carson whose legacy we all live within, thank you for being the ‘First’ for so many and so much, so that we too could walk in your footsteps.”
According to photos by Senator Grove and Vice Mayor Kaur, Carson was 90 years old.