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Thirty years ago the Los Angeles Public Library embarked on a ground-breaking, collection-building project—reaching out to the diverse communities of the region for family photographs that would provide depth and nuance to an understanding of this region’s multi-cultural history.
November is Native American Heritage Month. The land that now constitutes California once housed the most diverse population of indigenous people in the Western hemisphere, with 150 different Native American tribes inhabiting the area.
The Los Angeles basin cannot escape the fact that its climate tends to extremes, particularly of the hot variety. Global warming and galloping urbanization have exacerbated the situation Temperatures have increased over the past century, while heatwaves are becoming ever more common and last longer.
We have written before about Herman Schultheis, the German-born photographer and jack of all film-related trades. With his wife, Ethel, Herman arrived in Los Angeles in 1937 with high hopes of a career in the film industry.
Whether you want it hot or cool, swingin’ or slow, Dixieland or experimental, there’s jazz to fit your mood, mellow you out, pick you up. Jazz was born in New Orleans—the only place in the U.S. in the 1800s where slaves were allowed to own drums.
William Willmore had a brilliant idea. He was going to create a farming community on the coast of Southern California. He bought 4,000 acres of Rancho Los Cerritos and subdivided the land into plots which comprised Willmore City.
Over 25 years ago, while organizing the photo collection of the Los Angeles Public Library, librarian Carolyn Kozo Cole found many photos that documented the city’s political and professional history—political rallies, building construction, front page stories—but few images showing the personal side of it
It's summertime in Los Angeles and the mercury is rising. Are you beach ready? Have you packed your sunscreen, hats, coolers, snacks, umbrellas, folding chairs, kites, frisbees, bikes, trikes, boogie boards and blankets? Do you know how you'll get there?
After Ann Forst, the Black Widow, was sentenced to serve time for pandering, one of her protégés, Brenda Allen (born Marie Mitchell and going under a number of aliases including Brenda Allen Burns, Marie Brooks, Marie Cash, Brenda Burris, and Marie Balanque) wasted no time in setting up her own prostitutio
June is LGBTQIA Pride Month, a time to remember the challenges that the LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual) community has faced and to commemorate the contributions they have made.
![Tawa and her friend George in front of her house in Long Beach, [ca 1947]. Shades of L.A.: Filipino American Community Girl with a sailor friend](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2022-04/shades-laheader-1.jpg?itok=mW1iUPEZ)
![George Pierre, Chief of the Nez Perce tribe, accepts a proclamation for All American Indian Week, held by City Council member Gilbert Lindsay. Also on hand in City Hall Chambers is Iron Eyes Cody and Councilman Billy Mills, along with other Native Americans in full dress, [1968]. Rolland J Curtis Collection Indians accept proclamation](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2020-09/novemberindianheader.jpg?itok=3YLfcrLA)
![“Real cool pool: Little David Allan Siddon, 2 1/2, splashes happily in his plastic wading pool…while young David was cooling off, temperatures soared to highest this year—a scorching 107,” [1957]. Valley Times Collection Baby splashing in a pool](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2019-07/splashheader.jpg?itok=IKiz0mdh)
![Ethel Schultheis looks into a large fountain at the entrance of the Santa Barbara Mission. The reflection of the Mission facade can be seen in the pond, [1938]. Herman J. Schultheis Collection Ethel Schultheis looks into a large fountain](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2019-06/shultheisheader.jpg?itok=ZFbu5pMO)
![A group enjoys a night out at Club Alabam, [1941]. Shades of L.A. Collection: African American Community Nightclub at 42nd and Central Avenue, with Lucille and Edward on the right.](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2024-02/jazz-friendsheader.jpg?itok=TAKlL_y6)
![A view of The Pike amusement park in Long Beach. The roller coaster extends down the pier; underneath it is the Long Beach bath house. The Hotel Arlington is bottom, left. Next to the hotel is the Crystal Cafeteria and next to the cafeteria is the Ambassador ballroom dancing establishment. Hoyt's Theatre abuts the Ambassador. On the horizon are several naval or Coast Guard ships, [ca.1920]. Security Pacific National Bank Collection The Pike and warships](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2019-04/longbeachheader.jpg?itok=vHj9E8xL)
![Five women pose in front of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for the NAACP Awards,[1968]. Photo credit: Robert Douglas, Shades of L.A. Collection Five women pose in front of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1968](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2019-02/naacpheader.jpg?itok=KN_whi_k)
![Office work on the beach, [1934]. Security Pacific National Bank Collection 1934 colorized picture of people at the beach with typewriters](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2020-04/beachdayheader.jpg?itok=ES43akc8)

![Some of the 5,000 people who rallied at Westwood Federal Building in support of more AIDS research funds, [May 27, 1983]. Herald-Examiner Collection Photograph caption dated May 27, 1983 reads, "Some of the 5,000 people who rallied at Westwood Federal Building in support of more AIDS research funds."](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2021-05/lgbtheader.jpg?itok=YL9wRa14)