( CNN ) -- Willis Edwards , longtime president of the Beverly Hills/Hollywood branch of the NAACP and key to launching the NAACP Image Awards on national television , died Friday in Mission Hills , California , according to a spokeswoman for Providence Holy Cross Medical Center . Edwards , born in Texas and raised in Palm Springs , California , was 66 . The cause of the civil rights pioneer 's death was not immediately available . Edwards became active in politics while attending California State University , Los Angeles , according to TheHistoryMakers.com , which preserves the life stories of thousands of African-Americans . Edwards served on the Social Services Commission after Tom Bradley was elected Los Angeles mayor , according to Lauren Tobin , a spokeswoman for the Edwards family . NAACP backs same-sex marriage . Four years after an unsuccessful run for the California General Assembly , Edwards was elected president of the Beverly Hills/Hollywood Branch of the NAACP in 1982 , according to the website . More recently , he served as the chapter 's first vice president . Edwards , who was vice president of development and planning for the Rosa & Raymond Parks Institute , also led the campaign to get Rosa Parks on a U.S. postage stamp in 2006 . Edwards was also close to many in the entertainment , civil rights and political worlds . `` Willis Edwards was a national leader for the NAACP and a partner with the City of Los Angeles in the struggle for equality and justice for all people , '' Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa said in a statement . `` I was proud to call him a personal friend for over 20 years in the struggle for civil liberties . '' Others echoed that sentiment . `` Willis was that guy who really found the joy and beauty of people . But in hindsight , he had probably been the only one like him in many rooms , '' California Attorney General Kamala Harris told CNN . `` He was always exuberant in his infectious belief that being present and involved in the electoral process makes a difference . He was a dear friend . '' Edwards , who was HIV-positive , was a strong advocate for AIDS-related issues . `` I remember having dinner with Willis Edwards in Philadelphia at the NABJ ( National Association of Black Journalists ) Convention in 2011 . He was never ashamed of his HIV-positive status and proudly proclaimed , ' I fought AIDS to a standstill , ' '' said CNN assignment editor Greg Morrison . `` He was a vibrant man who engaged in conversation with everybody he met , '' Morrison added . `` His passion was making sure the African-American community addressed the issue of AIDS education without flinching . '' Phill Wilson , president and CEO of the Black AIDS Institute , reflected on Edwards ' resourcefulness . NAACP president : Voter ID requirements are like Jim Crow voter oppression laws . `` The thing about Willis is that he was one of those people in the tradition of the black experience of making a way out of no way , '' Wilson said . Former U.S. Rep. Diane Watson knew Edwards for more than 40 years , going back to when he was student body president in college . She said he was known around town as `` The Fixer . '' `` Willis could get you into anything , any party , any private event . He just knew everybody , '' said Watson , a former U.S. ambassador to Micronesia . `` Willis could talk his way into Fort Knox with two guns blazing . ''
Bill Edwards was longtime president of the Beverly Hills / Hollywood branch . He also was key to launching the NAACP Image Fund . Edwards was born in Palm Springs .