▁member ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Association ▁for ▁the ▁Ad van cement ▁of ▁Col ored ▁People ▁( NA AC P ) ▁and ▁the ▁Urban ▁League , ▁associations ▁established ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁to ▁work ▁for ▁political ▁and ▁civil ▁rights ▁for ▁black s . ▁ ▁Mar riage ▁and ▁family ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁Roberts ▁married ▁Pear l ▁H inds , ▁who ▁had ▁studied ▁at ▁the ▁Boston ▁Conserv atory ▁of ▁Music . ▁They ▁had ▁daughters ▁Gl oria , ▁who ▁became ▁a ▁professional ▁classical ▁pian ist , ▁and ▁Pat ric ia , ▁who ▁lived ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁Roberts ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁California ▁State ▁Assembly ▁from ▁the ▁ 6 2 nd ▁District ▁as ▁a ▁Republican ▁in ▁a ▁hard - f ought ▁campaign , ▁during ▁which ▁his ▁chief ▁rival ▁made ▁ra cial ▁sl urs ▁against ▁him . ▁While ▁in ▁office , ▁Roberts ▁spons ored ▁legisl ation ▁to ▁establish ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁California ▁at ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁and ▁improve ▁public ▁education , ▁and ▁proposed ▁several ▁civil ▁rights ▁and ▁anti - lyn ch ing ▁measures . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 2 2 , ▁he ▁wel com ed ▁Black ▁National ist ▁leader ▁Marcus ▁Gar vey ▁of ▁the ▁UN IA ▁to ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁and ▁rode ▁in ▁his ▁para de ▁car . ▁ ▁Roberts ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁repeatedly ▁and ▁served ▁a ▁continuous ▁total ▁of ▁ 1 6 ▁years , ▁becoming ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" de an ▁of ▁the ▁assembly ." ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁friend ▁of