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Angelus Funeral Home

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Central Avenue is a major north–south thoroughfare in the central portion of the Los Angeles, California metropolitan area. Located just to the west of the Alameda Corridor , it runs south from the eastern end of the Los Angeles Civic Center down to the east side of California State University, Dominguez Hills and terminating at East Del Amo Boulevard in Carson .

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47-603: Angelus Funeral Home was a funeral home at 1010 E Jefferson Blvd in South Los Angeles, California that has been repurposed as an affordable housing complex. The building was listed as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 2006 and on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. In 1925, Angelus Funeral Home was the first Black-owned business to be incorporated in California. The building

94-679: A bakery. The 27th Street Bakery is one of the few remaining African-American owned businesses on Central Ave. The bakery has been in the same family for three generations and is currently owned by Jeanette Pickens, the granddaughter of Harry Patterson, the founder of the bakery. 27th Street Bakery is the largest manufacturer of sweet potato pies on the West Coast of the United States . You can now find their pies in retail stores such Ralphs , Albertsons , 7-Eleven , KFC and Louisiana Famous Fried Chicken . The bakery suffered greatly after

141-646: A crowd of 15,000. Jefferson High School , located south east of Downtown Los Angeles, served as a school to a community that not only was located at the heart of South Central’s jazz scene at the time (in the 1930s), but also one that nurtured Jazz affluent students. These students, who would later go on to establish themselves as either jazz/blues artists/singers, would follow robust music curriculum, which included courses in music theory, music appreciation, harmony, counterpoint, orchestra, band and choir. Many of Central Avenue’s most accomplished jazz, blues, and bebop players were graduates of this public high school just off

188-403: A pivotal structure to a newly established African-American enclave after the turn of the 20th century. The same way many know Harlem as a historically African-American enclave, the area in and around Central Ave was ironically referred to as “Little Harlem” due to its striking similarities. Harlem’s Apollo theatre and its importance to the neighborhood can be taken by the same token in referring to

235-562: A pivotal touchstone to the newly established African-American enclave and contributed greatly to the development of West Coast Jazz . It was at Jefferson where Samuel Brown (first African-American music teacher in the Los Angeles public school system) taught music and served as a major influence in teaching and mentoring promising jazz musicians from Los Angeles. Due to Mr. Brown's dedication, Jefferson High School has produced more jazz musicians and composers than any other high school west of

282-509: A population of 271,040 residents with the following racial and ethnic balance: Race: Asian - 4.9%, White - 21.4%, African-American - 28.7%, Other Race - 39.4%. Ethnicity (Hispanic or Latino Origin by Race): Not Hispanic or Latino - 39%, Hispanic or Latino - 61%. According to the census, for the category of "race", respondents self-identified as one of the following: White, African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Some Other Race, or Two or More Races. For

329-420: A prime target for gentrification amid rising real estate values. Residents and activists are against market-rate housing as they have concerns that these projects will encourage landlords to sell, redevelop their properties or jack up rents. Under California law, cities can't reject residential projects based on these criticisms if the project complies with applicable planning and zoning rules. The construction of

376-545: A prominent resident. Under racially restrictive covenants, blacks were allowed to own property only within the "Slauson Box" (the area bounded by Main, Slauson, Alameda, and Washington) and in Watts, as well as in small enclaves elsewhere in the city. The working- and middle-class blacks who poured into Los Angeles during the Great Depression and in search of jobs during World War II found themselves penned into what

423-552: A resident of South L.A., Ezell Ford, described as "a mentally ill 25-year-old man," was fatally shot by two Los Angeles police officers (see Shooting of Ezell Ford ). Since then, a number of protests focused on events in Ferguson have taken place in South Los Angeles. After the 2008 economic recession, housing prices in South Los Angeles recovered significantly, and by 2018, many had come to see South Los Angeles as

470-636: A subtle form of racial stereotyping. He added that they believed such "distinctive neighborhoods" as Leimert Park , Lafayette Square and the Crenshaw District were "well-removed" from South Central. In 1992, this area was at the center of the Los Angeles Riots , also known as the Los Angeles Uprising, which were sparked after an all-White jury acquitted Los Angeles Police Department officers who were on trial for

517-597: Is a core part of Central Ave and its surrounding areas and continues to evolve. The Central Avenue Jazz Festival is a yearly free music festival held during the last weekend of July along a stretch of Central Avenue which includes the Dunbar Hotel. The festival features jazz , blues , and Latin Jazz performed by both well-known and upcoming artists from the area. The opening scene of Raymond Chandler's Farewell, My Lovely , published in 1940, takes place on "one of

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564-534: Is a region in southwestern Los Angeles County, California , lying mostly within the city limits of Los Angeles , south of downtown . It is "defined on Los Angeles city maps as a 16-square-mile (41 km ) rectangle with two prongs at the south end.” In 2003, the Los Angeles City Council renamed this area "South Los Angeles". The name South Los Angeles can also refer to a larger 51-square-mile (130 km ) region that includes areas within

611-484: Is the Dunbar Hotel , Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #131 since 1974. Built in 1928 by Drs. John and Vada Sommerville, The Dunbar was a place where Black travelers could stay in style and comfort during the era of racial segregation in the United States , when African-Americans were banned from Los Angeles's major hotels. The Dunbar was also the place where Black celebrities were most likely to stay, attracting

658-617: The 1992 LA Riots due to the extreme damage done to the neighborhood. Because clientele could not access the bakery for about two weeks, business temporarily decreased. From the 1950s to the 1990s, the bakery catered towards the needs of the predominant African-American community. Due to the growing population of Latinos / Hispanics in the area in the early 2000s, the bakery expanded their menu to include concha (bread) / pan dulce and empanadas to cater to this new community and also have their menu available in Spanish. The 27th Street Bakery

705-458: The K Line light rail through the neighborhood has stimulated the building of denser multistory projects, especially around the new stations. The NFL Stadium in Inglewood also encourages gentrification according to activists. Real estate values in South Los Angeles were further bolstered by news that Los Angeles will host the 2028 Olympics , with many of the games to be hosted on or near

752-778: The University Park neighborhood. It is California's oldest private research university. The following LAUSD schools fall within the boundaries of South Los Angeles. LAUSD Elementary Schools LAUSD Middle Schools LAUSD High Schools LAUSD 6-12 schools : Community Colleges Universities The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the South Health Center in Watts , Los Angeles , serving South Los Angeles. Central Avenue (Los Angeles) From north to south, Central Avenue passes through Downtown Los Angeles ,

799-705: The 1920s, the South Los Angeles neighborhood of West Adams was one of the most desirable areas of the City. As the wealthy were building stately mansions in West Adams and Jefferson Park , the White working class was establishing itself in Crenshaw and Hyde Park . Affluent blacks gradually moved into West Adams and Jefferson Park. As construction along the Wilshire Boulevard corridor gradually increased in

846-471: The 1920s, the development of the city was drawn west of downtown and away from South Los Angeles. In the eastern side of South Los Angeles (which the city calls the "Southeastern CPA") roughly east of the Harbor Freeway, the area grew southward in the late 1800s along the ever-longer streetcar routes. Areas north of Slauson Boulevard were mostly built out by the late 1910s, while south of Slauson land

893-487: The Avenue.  The origin of jazz in Los Angeles has been attributed to a number of musicians who moved there from New Orleans. Nightclubs became the physical manifestation of jazz music, and these were mainly located along Central Avenue from Little Tokyo to Watts. The school produced many prominent musicians, including Etta James , Curtis Williams, Big Jay McNeely , and Richard Berry. Jefferson High School served as

940-454: The Blues", describes a drive down Central Avenue and Turner's reminiscences about the scene. Lionel Hampton performed for the 2nd, 5th, 6th, 7th and the 11th Cavalcade of Jazz concerts. The crowning of the first Cavalcade of Jazz Queen was postponed due to a showdown between Big Joe Turner and Lionel Hampton's band at the 5th concert. The crowd started throwing pillows, programs, and bottles into

987-533: The Central Ave Jazz Scene and showcased over 125 artists from 1945 to 1958. The Cavalcade of Jazz concerts were the stepping stone to success for such stars as Toni Harper , Dinah Washington , Roy Milton , Frankie Lane and others. He also hosted a beauty contest at the events. His first COJ show starred Count Basie , The Honey Drippers, Valaida Snow , Joe Turner , The Peters Sisters , Slim and Bam and more artists on September 23, 1945 with

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1034-488: The Coca-Cola company, designed to resemble an ocean liner, complete with porthole windows and metal-railed catwalks. It was declared Los Angeles Historic-cultural Monument #138 in 1975. At 2300 Central is the now closed Lincoln Theatre , opened in 1926 and was long the leading venue in the city for African-American entertainment. It was declared Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument # 744 in 2003. At 4233 Central Avenue

1081-607: The Mississippi. Located on the corner of 27th Street and Central Ave at 2700 Central Ave is 27th Street Bakery, now famous for its sweet potato pie . The bakery was initially a restaurant that was established in the 1930s by Harry Patterson and his wife. The couple catered to the African-American migrants from the Southern states who settled on and near Central Avenue. In 1956, the owners decided to turn it into

1128-515: The USC campus. Crime in South Los Angeles has increased significantly with the COVID-19 pandemic . Recession caused by the pandemic sparked gang warfare that rivalled all-time high statistics, with homicide figures similar to those of late 1990s to early-to-mid 2000s. By the end of the 1980s, South Los Angeles had an increasing number of Hispanics and Latinos , mostly in the northeastern section of

1175-413: The area, African Americans continued to move in, and eastern South LA became majority black. Whites in previously established communities south of Slauson, east of Alameda and west of San Pedro streets persecuted blacks moving beyond established "lines", and thus blacks became effectively restricted to the area in between. The black mutual protection clubs that formed in response to these assaults became

1222-490: The areas of South Los Angeles (including Watts , Florence-Graham , Willowbrook ), the city of Compton , and the city of Carson, which is part of the 17-city South Bay area of Los Angeles County. Central Avenue had two all-black segregated fire stations. Fire Station No. 30 and Fire Station No. 14 were segregated in 1924. They remained segregated until 1956 when the Los Angeles Fire Department

1269-696: The basis of the region's street gangs . As in most urban areas, 1950s freeway construction radically altered the geography of southern Los Angeles. Freeway routes tended to reinforce traditional segregation lines. Beginning in the 1970s, the rapid decline of the area's manufacturing base resulted in a loss of the jobs that had allowed skilled union workers to enjoy a middle-class lifestyle. Downtown Los Angeles' service sector, which had long been dominated by unionized African Americans earning relatively fair wages, replaced most black workers with newly arrived Mexican and Central American immigrants. Widespread unemployment, poverty and street crime contributed to

1316-464: The category of "ethnicity", they self-identified as either "Hispanic or Latino" or "Not Hispanic or Latino". According to the 2000 United States census , Mexican and Unspecified African were the most common ancestries. Mexico and El Salvador are the most common foreign places of birth. South Los Angeles is home to the University of Southern California , a private research university in

1363-617: The city limits of Los Angeles as well as five unincorporated areas in the southern portion of Los Angeles County. The City of Los Angeles delineates the South Los Angeles Community Plan area as an area of 15.5 square miles (40 km ). Adjacent communities include West Adams, Baldwin Hills, and Leimert Park to the west, and Southeast Los Angeles (the 26-neighborhood area east of the Harbor Freeway) on

1410-610: The east. According to the Los Angeles Times Mapping Project , the South Los Angeles region comprises 51 square miles (130 km ), consisting of 25 neighborhoods within the City of Los Angeles as well as three unincorporated neighborhoods in the County of Los Angeles. Google Maps delineates a similar area to the Los Angeles Times Mapping Project with notable differences on the western border. On

1457-421: The field as the band parading back to the stage. Underground rapper Bones names a song "CentralAve" on album "Rotten" (2014). Near its northern end, Central Avenue passes through Little Tokyo , Los Angeles' oldest Japanese neighborhood and now a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places . On Central Avenue just north of First Street is the former Hompa Hongwangi Buddhist Temple. It

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1504-564: The leading African-American owned insurance business companies the state of California. Located just off of Central Ave on 1319 E 41st St, Thomas Jefferson High School is central to understanding the Jazz music and the "Jazz scene" for which the area was prominent. Jefferson High School’s importance to Central Ave and its Jazz scene can be attributed to its jazz-nurturing curriculum along with many prominent Jazz figures that it has both produced and has been associated with. Jefferson High served as

1551-404: The likes of Louis Armstrong ("Satchmo"), Ella Fitzgerald , Lena Horne , and Billie Holiday . It was the epicenter of the Los Angeles jazz scene in the 1940s and 1950s. The Dunbar is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . At 4261 Central Avenue is Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #580, the 1928 Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Building , original headquarters of one of

1598-482: The many Jazz clubs on Central Ave. However, in this case, looking at the ethnographic nature of Central Ave and its establishing of a Jazz scene and culture, Jefferson High School’s contribution cannot be overstated. Such an institution served in nurturing students, musicians, and athletes—all the while sparking an inevitable culture of Jazz within the already affluent Jazz population. Central Ave paved way for many historic happenings in Los Angeles, most importantly being

1645-485: The many significant structures that contributed to both the creation of an African-American enclave and Jazz scene on the West Coast. It was in 1920, when the Jazz scene on Central began to swing, and from 1920 to 1955 it was the heart of the African-American community in Los Angeles. Lionel Hampton composed and performed a tune called "Central Avenue Breakdown". Dave Alvin 's tribute to Big Joe Turner , "The Boss of

1692-522: The northwest, it omits a section of Los Angeles west of La Brea Avenue. On the southwest, it includes a section of the City of Inglewood north of Century Boulevard. According to the Mapping L.A. survey of the Los Angeles Times , the South Los Angeles region consists of the following neighborhoods: The roots of South Los Angeles traces back to the beginning of the 20th Century. Until

1739-599: The region. According to scholars, "Between 1970 and 1990 the South LA area went from 80% African American and 9% Latino to 50.3% African American and 44% Latino." Many African Americans from South Los Angeles have moved to Palmdale and Lancaster in the Antelope Valley . South Los Angeles has received immigrants from Mexico and Central America . According to the city's "2014 South Los Angeles Community Plan Area Demographic Profile", South Los Angeles had

1786-665: The rise of street gangs in South Central, such as the Crips and the Bloods . The gangs became even more powerful with money coming in from drugs, especially the crack cocaine trade that was dominated by gangs in the 1980s. Paul Feldman of the Los Angeles Times wrote in 1989: Leaders of the black community regret the branding of a large, predominantly black sector of the city as South-Central, saying it amounts to

1833-517: The time. After leading the nation in homicides again in 2002, the City Council of Los Angeles voted to change the name South Central Los Angeles to South Los Angeles on all city documents in 2003, a move supporters said would "help erase a stigma that has dogged the southern part of the city." On August 11, 2014, just two days after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri ,

1880-430: The videotaped police brutality of Rodney King . By the early 2010s, the crime rate of South Los Angeles had declined significantly. Redevelopment, improved police patrol, community-based peace programs, gang intervention work, and youth development organizations lowered the murder and crime rates to levels that had not been seen since the 1940s and 1950s. Nevertheless, South Los Angeles was still known for its gangs at

1927-471: Was becoming a severely overcrowded neighborhood. During the war, blacks faced such dire housing shortages that the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles built the virtually all-black and Latino Pueblo Del Rio project, designed by Richard Neutra . During this time, African Americans remained a minority alongside whites, Asians, and Hispanics; but by the 1930s those groups moved out of

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1974-475: Was confined to the Central Avenue corridor"; the area of modest bungalows and low-rise commercial buildings along Central Avenue emerged as the heart of the black community in southern California. Originally, the city's black community was concentrated around what is now Little Tokyo , but began moving south after 1900. It had one of the first jazz scenes in the western U.S., with trombonist Kid Ory

2021-670: Was declared Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No.313 in 1986. Across Central Avenue from the Temple is the Japanese American National Museum , and north of that is the original (and largest) branch of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles , now known as the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. In the 1200 block of Central Avenue is the 1930s era Streamline Modern Los Angeles bottling plant of

2068-1049: Was designed by noted African-American architect Paul R. Williams in the Spanish Colonial and Georgian Revival styles and also includes Art Deco elements. The building was deemed to satisfy the registration requirements set forth in a multiple property submission study, the African Americans in Los Angeles MPS. Other sites listed pursuant to the same MPS study include the Second Baptist Church , Lincoln Theater , 28th Street YMCA , Prince Hall Masonic Temple , 52nd Place Historic District , 27th Street Historic District , and two historic all-Black segregated fire stations ( Fire Station No. 14 and Fire Station No. 30 ). South Los Angeles, California South Los Angeles , also known as South Central Los Angeles or simply South Central ,

2115-982: Was integrated. The listing on the National Register says, "All-black fire stations were simultaneous representations of racial segregation and sources of community pride." From approximately 1920 to 1955, Central Avenue was the heart of the African-American community in Los Angeles, with active rhythm and blues and jazz music scenes. Local luminaries included Eric Dolphy , Art Pepper , Chico Hamilton , Clora Bryant , and Charles Mingus . Other jazz and R&B musicians associated with Central Avenue in LA include Benny Carter , Buddy Collette , Dexter Gordon , Lionel Hampton , Hampton Hawes , Big Jay McNeely , Johnny Otis , Shifty Henry , Charlie Parker (briefly), Gerald Wilson , Anthony Ortega , Onzy Matthews and Teddy Wilson . Commenting on its historical prominence, Wynton Marsalis once remarked that "Central Avenue

2162-414: Was mostly undeveloped, much used by Chinese and Japanese Americans growing produce. In 1903, the farmers were bought out and Ascot Park racetrack was built, which turned into a "den of gambling and drinking". In the late 1910s the park was razed and freed up land for quick build-up of residential and industrial buildings in the 1920s. "By 1940, approximately 70 percent of the black population of Los Angeles

2209-583: Was the 52nd Street of Los Angeles." Although Central Avenue is no longer the thriving jazz center it was, its legacy is preserved by the Central Avenue Jazz Festival and a small number of jazz clubs, including Bluewhale in Little Tokyo . Leon Hefflin, Sr. produced the first largest outdoor jazz entertainment event of its kind, the “Cavalcade of Jazz,” held at Wrigley Field which was located on 42nd place in Los Angeles, part of

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