The Rev. K.W. Tulloss was a 9th grader at Locke High School in South Los Angeles in April 1992 when a jury, with no black members, acquitted four white police officers of beating Rodney King.

That verdict touched off days of rioting, looting and violence that left more than 55 people dead.

The riots were concentrated in South L.A. but spread to other communities including downtown L.A., Koreatown, Hollywood, Pasadena and the San Fernando Valley.

That tragic stain on the area is something Tulloss will never forget. ...