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On this first day of African American History Month, we reflect on the African American community of early Los Angeles.
Richard Lange is the author of the short story collections Dead Boys and
We don’t have a typical Christmas season here in L.A., like the ones in syrupy movies with snow, ear muffs, winter coats, and people standing in a blizzard preparing to jump off a trestle.
Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but as in so many cities and towns throughout the country, his impact on Los Angeles was strong and far-reaching. King visited L.A.
I cannot begin to tell you how much I love this new book, Read Me Los Angeles: Exploring L.A.’s Book Culture from Prospect Park Books.
Libraries are empty of customers and that is sad as hell. Sad for library workers who not only love the musty smell of the stacks but also the everyday challenges of actual patrons!
Aldous Huxley described Los Angeles as “nineteen suburbs in search of a metropolis"—and didn’t mean it as a compliment. In fact, the diversity of Los Angeles is one of its greatest strengths. The Los Angeles Times mapping project claims there are 114 neighborhoods in the city of Los Angeles.
On June 28, 1970, the very first Pride Parade in Los Angeles was held on Hollywood Boulevard, one year after the Stonewall uprising in New York City.
“Today I sketched the preliminary plans for a large country house which will be erected in one of the most beautiful residential districts in the world... Sometimes I have dreamed of living there. I could afford such a home.
The notion of having one’s own savings account is commonplace to us modern folk. But for former slaves—many of whom had never even seen money—it was an alien concept. And, in a country that runs on capitalism, getting the hang of money management was (and is) essential to survival.
![Members of the Junior NAACP, [1923]. Shades of L.A. Collection Members of the Junior NAACP, 1923, Shades of L.A. Collection](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2024-02/african-american-ins-early-la-1.jpg?itok=x0JfSK9R)




![Glen Creason at the history dept. reference desk, [1984]. Photo credit: Chris Morland Glean Creason from 1984](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2020-07/glenheader84.jpg?itok=pi1d2TAL)

![Gay fathers march down Santa Monica Boulevard during the 1987 Gay Pride Parade, [1987]. Herald Examiner Collection Colorized photo of gay fathers march down Santa Monica Boulevard during the 17th annual Gay Pride Parade](https://www.lapl.org/sites/default/files/styles/blog_latest_list_120x90/public/blogs/2021-05/anniversary-pride1.jpg?itok=vKMutdSn)

