Civil Rights Activist Honored for Crowning Achievement : Rights: Latino groups pay tribute to Tony Gallegos of the U.S. equal employment commission. He was named as agency’s acting chairman.

About 300 supporters representing a wide range of Los Angeles’ Latino groups gathered at a venerable politico watering hole to celebrate a crowning moment for one of their own.

They paid tribute to Tony Gallegos, 69, a longtime civil rights activist who was recently appointed by President Clinton as acting chairman of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

“There are people who have wisdom and a conscience and the courage to use that wisdom for good. Tony is one of those--not only for Hispanics but for all people,” said Jerry Jaramillo, a past state chairman of the American GI Forum, a Latino veterans organization.

In the room Thursday night at Stevens’ Steak House in City of Commerce were those who knew of Gallegos’ four decades of activism, which started in the 1950s when he fought for the rights of Mexican-Americans in Pico Rivera.

“He was one of the first voices who really started talking about the Hispanic community and the action that needed to be taken in the area of affirmative action,” said Rogelio Padilla, a former executive assistant to Gallegos at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Gallegos, a Democrat, is the longest-serving member of the EEOC, having been appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1982. Asked if he expected Clinton to name him permanent EEOC chairman, Gallegos said: “Only the President would know.”

In 1960, Gallegos was among founders of the Mexican-American Opportunity Foundation, which continues to provide job training, child care and other services.

Later, the World War II veteran became active in the American GI Forum, becoming its national chairman. In 1977, he helped launch the Whittier-based Veterans in Community Service, which offers a variety of services to U.S. veterans.

Before joining the commission, Gallegos spent 30 years with McDonnell Douglas, seven as the aircraft company’s equal employment opportunity manager. “I’ve worked on both sides of the issue,” he said.

Local Latino leaders said that in Washington, Gallegos quickly understood how to put pressure on the federal government on questions of employment discrimination.

“If he can’t solve the problem, he tries to direct people to those who can,” said Ben Rodriguez, Gallegos’ fellow activist in the GI Forum and now president of Veterans in Community Service.

As a commissioner, Gallegos initiated federal government investigations into Latino employees’ allegations of discriminatory employment practices by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. The investigation resulted last year in new hiring guidelines and a settlement of more than $2.1 million.

“I will not tolerate discrimination in the workplace,” said Gallegos.