Résumé

A resume prepared by Mr. Winge summarized his career, likely c. 1985: "Mr. Winge has 25 years of continuous professional architectural experience. Included were program planning, design, construction document development and construction coordination for major commercial, public and institutional projects." (See Cleveland A. Winge Résumé, sent to the author by Ciji Winge on 11/04/2023. Thank you to her for supplying this valuable document.)

Private 1st Class, US National Guard, Battery H, New York, NY, 02/071939-1941. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., U.S. National Guard Enlistment Cards, 1923-1947 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Original data: New York State National Guard, National Guard Enlistment Cards, 1923–1940. New York State Military Museum, Saratoga Springs, New York, accessed 09/28/2023.)

Military service, US Army, Coast Artillery, Anti-Aircraft Units, 1941-1944. He enlisted on 01/13/1941 in New York, NY. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946; NAID: 1263923; Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007; Record Group: 64; Box Number: 03383; Reel: 60, accessed 01/24/2024.) According to US military hospital records, Winge was diagnosed with "Otitis media, chronic," (or "Mastoiditis, chronic,") that he apparently had had before joining the service. He was discharged from duty due to this inner ear infection. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration; Hospital Admission Card Files, ca. 1970 - ca. 1970; NAI: 570973; Record Group Number: Records of the Office of the Surgeon General (Army), 1775-1994; Record Group Title: 112, accessed 01/24/2024.)

Cabinet maker, unknown construction company, Los Angeles, CA, 1950. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: South Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 5517; Page: 17b; Enumeration District: 19-365, accessed 09/28/2023.)

Draftsman / Designer / Associate, Paul R. Williams, Architect, FAIA, 1959-1968.

Chief, Cencore Corporation, Architectural and Engineering Division, Los Angeles, CA, 1968-1970.

Principal, Cleveland A. Winge, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, 1970- . His résumé of c. 1985 said of his practice: "Since [1970] he has directed his firm in the design of a great variety of commercial, public and institutional facilities, statewide." (See Cleveland A. Winge Résumé, sent to the author by Ciji Winge on 11/04/2023.)

Professional Activities

Registered Architect State of CA, Reg. #C-4373.

Registered Architect State of CO, Reg. #6964.

Registered Architect State of MO, Reg. #A-3031.

Registered Architect State of NM, Reg. #716.

Member, Minority Architects and Planners.

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Southern CA Chapter, Los Angeles, CA.

Member, Society of American Registered Architects.

Member, American Society of Engineers and Architects.

Member, US Office of Civil Defense, Qualified Shelter Analyst.

Member, Housing Resources Council for the Disabled.

Member, National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Author, "City Living," "a learning Activity Module for the Model Ecology Program, Los Angeles Unified School District." (See Cleveland A. Winge Résumé, sent to the author by Ciji Winge on 11/04/2023.)

Chair, South Central Planning Council, Consultant, Housing and Economic Development Committee, Los Angeles, CA.

Director, Model Ecology Program, Los Angeles Unified School District Advisory Committee, Los Angeles, CA.

Chairman, Greater Watts Model Cities Housing Corp., Board of Directors, Watts, Los Angeles, CA.

Director, Greater Watts Model Cities Citizen;s Participation Program, Watts, Los Angeles, CA.

Chair, Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC), Community and Project Planning Subcommittee, Los Angeles, CA.

College

B.Arch., University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, 1959.

Relocation

Born in Atlanta, GA, on 04/26/1921, Cleveland A. Winge lived with his mother Juliette and her partner Cyril Benjamin in New York, NY. by 1930, and likely before. (He may have resided in New York since 1927 or even earlier.) As per the 1930 US Census, they rented an apartment at 153 Edgcombe Avenue for $55 per month, where Cyril, Juliette, and Cleveland lived with two siblings (or perhaps half-siblings), Harry D. Benjamin and Marion L. Benjamin. Cleveland's last name was listed in the census as "Benjamin" in 1930, not Winge. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Manhattan, New York, New York; Page: 21B; Enumeration District: 1003; FHL microfilm: 2341311, accessed 01/24/2024.)

Cleveland joined the New York National Guard on 02/07/1939. At the time, he was a student and lived at 123 Edgecombe Avenue in the Strivers Row neigborhood of New York, NY. He may have attended the City College of New York (CCNY) at the time, which was about two blocks to the west. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., U.S. National Guard Enlistment Cards, 1923-1947 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Original data: New York State National Guard, National Guard Enlistment Cards, 1923–1940. New York State Military Museum, Saratoga Springs, New York, accessed 09/28/2023.)

A year later, the 1940 US Census listed Cleveland living with his step-father, Cyril Benjamin (born c. 1902 in Saint Kitts, British West Indies), and mother Juliette at 265 West 129th Street in New York's Harlem neighborhood. They paid $40 per month in rent for their apartment. The household consisted of his parents and three half-siblings, Harry Benjamin, Marion Benjamin and Roslyn Benjamin.

Either during or after his World War II service, Cleveland relocated to Los Angeles, CA. An article in the California Eagle indicated that he and his wife Ablyne lived here by 09/23/1948, at least.

Winge resided in Los Angeles, CA, by 1950. In that year, he and his wife Ablyne Winge lived at 1760 East Palm Lane Street in the Willowbrook Voting Precinct #23 of Los Angeles County. Lived on a predominantly African-American block of Willowbrook in South Los Angeles. As noted on the 1950 US Census, many of the Winge's East Palm Lane Street neighbors were born in the South. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1950, accessed 09/28/2023 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: South Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 5517; Page: 17b; Enumeration District: 19-365, accessed 09/28/2023.)

Parents

His mother was Juliette Winge Benjamin (born 03/1905 in Darien, GA-d. 06/01/1961 in New York, NY). Her parents were Daniel Winge (born 12/1860 in GA) and Georgia J. Ross (born c. 08/1871 in GA), who married on 04/26/1888 in McIntosh County, GA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Georgia Archives; Morrow, Georgia; County Marriage Records, 1828–1978, accessed 01/24/2024.) They operated a farm in Darien, GA, in 1900. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Darien, McIntosh, Georgia; Roll: 210; Page: 8; Enumeration District: 0112, accessed 01/24/2024.) Juliette was one of seven children had by Daniel and Georgia, of whom five had survived in 1900.

Juliette wed Cyril Benjamin (born 09/25/1899 in the Saint Kitts, British West Indies-d. 10/1988 in NY) in 02/1942 in Manhattan. Cyril, who came to the US in 1919, worked as a porter in a dress factory in 1930 and 1940. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Manhattan, New York, New York; Page: 21B; Enumeration District: 1003; FHL microfilm: 2341311, accessed 01/24/2024 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: New York, New York, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02651; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 31-1137, accessed 01/24/2024.) Juliette may have had three children with Cyril Benjamin, Harry D. Benjamin (born c. 1927 in either NY or Philadelphia, PA), Marion L. Benjamin (born c. 1929 in NY) and Roslyn Benjamin (born c. 1931 in NY).

The 1940 US Census indicated that Juliette, Cyril and Cleveland had all completed high school.

Spouse

He wed Ablyne B. Winge (born 07/30/1917 in CA-d. 03/19/2014 in CA). As per the 1950 US Census, Ablyne worked as a library aid in the Los Angeles County Library system. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: South Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 5517; Page: 17b; Enumeration District: 19-365, accessed 09/28/2023.)

Biographical Notes

His US National Guard registration card of 02/07/1939 listed Winge as African-American, with a light complexion, "black" eyes and sandy hair. He was listed as standing 5-feet, 6-and-1/2-inches tall.

According to 1950 Los Angeles County voter records, Winge and his wife were both registered Republicans. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1950, accessed 09/28/2023.)