Los Angeles : The City of Black Angels
Black Establishment in Los Angeles
Black cities everywhere are under threat whether it be because of “explicit blackness” or even the resourcefulness Black cities embody. No matter the good or bad nature of the Black city, it is constantly threatened. AbdouMaliq Simone lists Los Angeles, in specific districts, that has history of urbanization in designating “black cities”.
How it All Began
The history of Black presence in Los Angeles is one that has a flavorful history. Although met with racial oppression and discrimination, Black people were able to develop driving hubs for Black culture throughout the city of Los Angeles. Communities like Central Avenue thrived despite racial housing covenants, and federal progress allowed the resettlement for many Black families. This resettlement allowed for the creation of the Black thriving community of Leimert Park that still serves as a hub for Black culture and Black art like it has since its establishment.
Communities that housed Black families were often redlined communities that received very little help in efforts to get home loans which made it difficult to own property. Black families that migrated from the South to the West Coast were met with continuos discrimination when they arrived in Los Angeles. Race and class tied into where you could live at the time, so it made it easy to contain people in certain communities based on such things, along with racial covenants that were legal at the time.
Matthew Wagner discusses the history of the developments of African American business districts. Between 1880’s to the 1960’s , African American migrated throughout the United States to find work opportunities. The development of African American business districts during the time are viewed as “golden age” for such developments, while it is argued that oppression left African Americans with no choice but to construct their own business districts due to racial constraints. This relates to both the Central Avenue and Leimert Park communities, where the same constraints allowed for hubs of Black culture.
Central Avenue
From 1900 to 1950, Central Avenue was a community that was a prominent Black culture hub. The street, Central Avenue, was lined with Black owned businesses and was populated with Black entrepreneurs. Central Avenue was known as “Little Harlem” for it’s jazz influence, and many theatres and halls had performances by famous Black Jazz artists at the time. In 1948, the Shelley vs. Kraemer Supreme Court decision made it illegal to enforce racial covenants that limited housing opportunities. After this Supreme Court decision, it allowed the Black community that flourished in the Central Avenue community to resettle. This resulted in the large resettlement in the Leimert Park/ Crenshaw community in Los Angeles. This, thus, shifted the center of Black Los Angeles at the time.
Club Alabam : One of the most popular and legendary club located on Central Avenue next to the famous Dunbar Hotel.
From Central Avenue to Leimert Park
Shelley vs. Kraemer headline (1948)
Leimert Park remained off limits to Blacks until 1948. In 1948, the United States Supreme Court declared racially restrictive covenants not legally forceable (Shelley s. Kraemer).
A white mob gathers at 1863 East Seventieth St to protest the sale of this home to a black family in 1949.
This led to the Black flight to South Los Angeles. Affluent African Americans sought housing in such areas like Leimert park. This was met with hard push back by white homeowners. In the decade following, whites acrossed the county bombed six black homes, burned four to the ground, and intimidated countless African Americans with death threats, cross burnings, and KKK.
This was the beginning of history of Leimert Park and it’s influence on Black Los Angeles that addresses milestones and tragedies like the 1965 and 1992 riots.
Black Excellence Comes to Town
Historial Leimert Park Theatre that still stands today.
1953 saw the real influx of well-to-do African Americans migrating to Leimert park. The neighborhood middle school, Audubon Junior High School, was known as a superior school by the Department of Planning at the time. Many African Americans in Leimert Park were very prosperous, and a significantly higher proportion of Black men in Leimert were professionals and managers, and wives worked steadily as professional and clerical workers compared to other Black neighborhoods. Even with white flight slowed, Leimert did not experience the same effects as a result like other Black neighborhoods as well. The Black Press focused on regularly announcing workplace promotions of residents amongst the establishments in the area, thus cultivating the image of Black image; the central task of Black newspapers.
The way the buildings signify cultural importance, transplants from Central Avenue. Despite the small size of Leimert Park, it’s historical significance is present because it’s history has always been accessible. Once home to white homeowners, the resettlement of Black families claimed Leimert Park as their own Black hub where business, perception, and art came together. The area was considered to be one of the only areas in the United States with such a high concentration of educated Blacks and Black businesses. Throughout it’s history of Black inhabitants, Leimert Park was and still remains immersed with Black culture.
1965 Watts Riots
Mayor of Los Angeles from 1973 -1993, Tom Bradley. Bradley was and remained a Leimert Park resident during his time as mayor and served on the LAPD as a lieutenant prior to his election.
The He(Art) of Los Angeles
The Migration to South Los Angeles / Leimert Park
The first recorded Black art show was hosted by the California Art club. The 1940’s and 1950’s saw an influx of Black artists in Los Angeles, most of whom were migrating from the South. A Black arts movement emerged in the 1960’s and artists sponsored the community’s youth activities to educate about black art. After the Watts Riots in 1965, the Black art in Los Angeles changed. Political consciousness and self empowerment drove the movement. Then soon emerged the Brockman Gallery. This continued to set the tone for Black art in Los Angeles up until 2000.
Brockman Gallery opened in 1967 in Leimert Park Village.
The Brockman Gallery contributed to turning Leimert Park into an epicenter of Black art. The gallery was opened by brothers Alonzo and Dale Davis who migrated to Los Angeles from Tuskegee, Alabama. Inspired by art while at Tuskegee Institute, Alonzo gained a passion for art and claims it made him “‘listen to another voice’”. To outsiders, Leimert Park makes you listen to the voices of the Black culture of Los Angeles through art. Telling not only the Black history of Los Angeles, but Black history throughout America and the world.
1992 LA Riots
The LA Riots was the result of the frustration surrounding the beating of Rodney King and the acquittal of the officers involved in his beatings Less than 3 hours after the acquittal was announced, South Central Los Angeles broke out in chaos. Residents set fire, looted, and destroyed businesses. This riot was far more violent than the 1965 Watt Riots but the damage almost equates. Fueled by unemployment and dealing with the ramifications of the war on drugs, the acquittal exploded the tension that was already brewing amongst Black residents. The unjust , profiling killing of 15 year old Natasha Harlins also hurt the community, and her killer walked away with a fine and probation to added to the pain the community was feeling at the time.
Today
Leimert Park resident posing in Leimert Park Village.
Despite the city’s turbulent history with the Black Community, Leimert Park has remained a neighborhood of positivity and success for the Black community. Despite gentrification efforts, the Black community has come together to preserve what holds Black history in South Los Angeles. Artists like Dom Kennedy and the late Nipsey Hussle doing/did more than just make music, they serve and support the community with purpose. We’re in the process of keeping Leimert Park Black.
