For African American Heritage Month, we reflect on the African American community of early Los Angeles. Arriving in the region in search of the California Dream, African American migrants relied on the institutions they created—particularly churches, Black-owned newspapers, and civic organizations—to strengthen their community against the backdrop of racial discrimination.
When California became a U.S. state, Los Angeles had fewer than two thousand residents, with about a dozen of those being African American. A slow trickle of African American migrants arrived in the coming years, and they formed a small network of friends which planted the seed for a budding community.
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Barrier Breakers: From Jackie to Pumpsie
On view through February 19, 2023
Central Library, Getty Gallery
The Barrier Breakers exhibit, developed by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, tells the story of the Negro Leagues and the strong-willed, dedicated athletes, who simply refused to accept the notion that they were unfit to share in the joys of our national pastime.
