Seven African American Places Added to National Register of Historic Places L.A. Times
Posted: June 22nd, 2009Seven Los Angeles buildings that experts say have played significant roles in the lives of local African Americans have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places, authorities have announced… .
* 28th Street YMCA, 1006 E. 28th St., designed by Williams and one of the few places where blacks could swim when it was built in 1926.
* Second Baptist Church, 1100 E. 24th St., also designed by Williams. It was considered the “most elaborate” Baptist church on the West Coast when it opened in 1926.
* The old Angelus Funeral Home at 1010 E. Jefferson Blvd., now empty, designed by Williams and built in 1934.
* Lincoln Theater, 2300 S. Central Ave., nicknamed the “West Coast Apollo” because of its shows from Harlem following its opening in 1926.
* Fire Station 14, 3401 S. Central Ave. It replaced an old city firehouse and was one of two all-black firehouses when it opened in 1949.
* Fire Station 30, 1401 S. Central Ave. Now home of the African American Firefighter Museum, it was built in 1913.
* Prince Hall Masonic Temple, 1050 50th St., used by African American club members; built in 1926.
Until now, the city’s only sites with African American ties that have been listed on the National Register were the Ralph Bunche house, 1221 E. 40th Place; the Dunbar Hotel, 4225 S. Central Ave.; and the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance building, 4261 S. Central Ave.
“Ethnic minorities are vastly underrepresented in the National Register,” said survey leader Teresa Grimes.
Read the rest of this article in the Los Angeles Times …
Monuments should reflect the diversity of a place and its people. People of color and women have been vital to the creation of Los Angeles. Yet with over 940 official cultural and historical landmarks in the City of Los Angeles, only 10% relate to people of color, women, and Native Americans. See the The City Project’s mapping and analyses of over 940 landmarks …
Click here to read the public comments to the City Planning Commission from diverse allies supporting proposed revisions to the city’s cultural heritage criteria.
