1962 Mexican Independence Day Parade in East LA, featuring Brenda Nelson and Richard Nixon on the campaign trail

 

Incredible shot of 17-year-old Brenda Nelson serving as queen of the Mexican Independence Day Parade, leading that year’s celebration through the streets of East Los Angeles on September 16, 1962.

We’re looking west on First here, taken from Townsend as the parade crosses Ditman. There’s no caption with the original photo, unfortunately, but I was able to pin down the street thanks to the Rexall sign in the upper left, which stood at 3594 East 1st Street. Not sure how many of the buildings are still standing, but the only one that looks to have retained its original features is the one with the rounded corner in the upper right of both shots.

This photo is another one by Ralph Crane, taken while he was documenting California’s 1962 gubernatorial election for LIFE Magazine. With former Vice President Richard Nixon and incumbent Governor Pat Brown polling neck-and-neck, both participated in the parade in hopes of winning over new voters as more than 150,000 Angelenos came out to watch the event.

As for Brenda, sadly, her story is quite tragic. She would go on to a career in television a few years later, working under the name Brenda Benet. She started with guest spots on a number of hit shows, like “McHale’s Navy,” “I Dream of Jeanie,” and “The Green Hornet.” She later found success in soaps, appearing in 90 episodes of “The Young Marrieds” and 298 episodes of “Days of Our Lives.” Off-screen, Brenda’s life was struck by tragedy when her six-year-old son died very suddenly in March of 1981, and she herself died by suicide the following year at age 36.

That is Richard Nixon talking with a Groucho Marx impersonator at the Mexican Independence parade on September 16, 1962.  

Richard Nixon in East Los Angeles in 1962, participating in a Mexican Independence Day parade while campaigning for Governor of California, two years after losing his first bid for the presidency.

Here, we see him with teenage daughters Tricia and Julie, and wife Pat, as they ride down Brooklyn Avenue (now E. Cesar Chavez) toward Eastern. Dodgers baby unknown.

Incumbent Governor Pat Brown also participated in the parade and would go on to be re-elected that November.

Current view in comments below. The building on the left is now the office for a U-Haul dealer, while Mike’s Tire Service at 4253 Brooklyn Ave is now a parking lot for a Jack in the Box.

Photo by Ralph Crane for LIFE

Brenda Nelson and Richard Nixon shake hands on the streets of East Los Angeles, 1962.