One year after Hollywood actors and writers went on strike, industry workers have yet to recover and many feel like they never will, throwing their future in doubt.
The background: The WGA spent nearly five months on strike last year starting in May. Actors and performers in the union SAG-AFTRA also went on strike last summer. The writers union reached a tentative deal with studios in September, with new residual models in streaming, new minimum lengths of employment for TV gigs, more guaranteed paid work for feature films and other protections. Then, SAG-AFTRA reached their own tentative agreement in November.
What they're saying: Like many others, Taylor Orci still struggles. One writing job fell through recently, and they’re still living on loans, with max’d out credit cards and a baby on the way.
“I knew it was gonna be slow, but I thought I’d have a job,” they say. “It’s tough right now to find work, especially if you didn’t have a job before.”
Across town in Encino, Lannet Tachel says that the union’s gains are helpful, but, “in the long run, you still have to be one of the lucky few to get in so that help applies to you.”
What the studios and unions are saying: NPR reached out to eight major studios and streamers and did not receive a response. But the president of the WGA West, Meredith Stiehm, says those production changes started before the strike, not because of it. She says there had been a boom, with streaming companies ordering a glut of new shows. But in 2022, so-called “peak TV” went bust.
Read on... for more on the current state of affairs in Hollywood.
This time last year, Hollywood writers were picketing outside the offices of major studios and streaming companies. Throughout their nearly five month-long strike, writers often convened at Bob’s Big Boy, where TV host Drew Carey often picked up the check.
“I remember eating a lot of hash browns, and then if it was dinner, they’ve got a good soup situation,” says Taylor Orci, who recently returned to the Burbank diner to reminisce with writer Bill Wolkoff.
“It saved us,” Wolkoff nods. “It was a vote of confidence that ‘I believe in writers.’ Thank you, Drew Carey, for that.”
Wolkoff writes and produces the series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Last year, when the show took a pause, he was a Writers Guild of America strike captain outside CBS Studios in L.A. Thanks to the union’s new contract, he’s looking forward to getting higher streaming residuals with each hit season.
“That’s going to be a noticeable difference in my life,” Wolkoff says. “And the AI protections too. I mean, we got in our contract language that ensures that AI will not replace writers. That’s huge.”
But, he admits, he’s one of the lucky few Hollywood writers still working these days.
Like many others, Taylor Orci still struggles. One writing job fell through recently, and they’re still living on loans, with max’d out credit cards and a baby on the way.
Writer Taylor Orci outside Bob's Big Boy, a diner in Burbank.
(
Mandalit del Barco/NPR
)
“I knew it was gonna be slow, but I thought I’d have a job,” they say. “It’s tough right now to find work, especially if you didn’t have a job before.”
'We needed a sea change'
Across town in Encino, Lannet Tachel says that the union’s gains are helpful, but, “in the long run, you still have to be one of the lucky few to get in so that help applies to you.”
Her writing partner Corey Grant agrees: there’s not much production these days.
“It was hard before the strike. It’s even harder now,” he says. “I think it’s a backlash because of the strike. I think they’re trying to … shore up their pockets a little bit, but it’s less TV, less episodes getting made, tighter budgets, half the shows got canceled.”
Lanett Tachel and writing partner Corey Grant.
(
<i>Mandalit del Barco/NPR</i>
)
NPR reached out to eight major studios and streamers for a response. They didn’t get back to us. But the president of the WGA West, Meredith Stiehm, says those production changes started before the strike, not because of it. She says there had been a boom, with streaming companies ordering a glut of new shows. But in 2022, so-called “peak TV” went bust.
“Netflix announced that they'd lost subscribers. Streaming was not profitable for anybody. It was kind of a failed model. Everybody started retreating. At the same time,” she says, “our contract was untenable and we needed a sea change.”
The WGA spent nearly five months on strike last year starting in May. Actors and performers in the union SAG-AFTRA also went on strike last summer. The writers union reached a tentative deal with studios in September, with new residual models in streaming, new minimum lengths of employment for TV gigs, more guaranteed paid work for feature films and other protections. Then, SAG-AFTRA reached their own tentative agreement in November.
“When we all returned to work, the decline continued, meaning not as much content is being ordered,” Stiehm says. “And it seems that the studios are sort of regrouping, and writers are feeling the post-Peak TV pinch.”
During a recent earnings call, SONY Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra said his company was hit by more than just the streaming revolution.
“We had to go from a pandemic where production was severely limited, to a strike, where there was no creative work being done for literally seven or eight months,” he said. “It had to restart. And that's what you're seeing right now.”
The industry continues to transform, with shrinking ad revenue and layoffs at just about every entertainment and media company. Last month, Netflix announced it would produce more non-scripted material, like reality shows and game shows. Disney said it will offer even more live sports through ESPN over the coming years.
Nick Geisler got his first writing job in Los Angeles in 2018. He was a strike captain outside Amazon Studios last year. After the strike ended, he says, he returned for a few months to the writers room for the Disney show Bunk’d: Learning the Ropes. But he says he hasn’t had much luck with other studios.
“There’s just no appetite for risk,” Geisler says. “And there's a lot of requests for rewrites. A lot of them are free. There's a lot of, ‘Hey, we're so, so close. Can you just make these changes and get it over the line?’ ‘Hey, we're turning it into our higher ups tomorrow. Can you do this in three hours?’ I don't think that's really changed much. Because of the climate we're in, there’s a lot of ‘Well, I’ll just get this done because there’s not a lot going on.’”
Now, he says, “I'm actually working on a short film for a writer that I met on the picket line.”
'This time feels different'
Things are tough for those who’ve been in the business for decades, too.
“I reach out to my agent and he tells me it’s really bad out there. Hopefully it will turn around,” says Jon Sherman, who hasn’t had a writing assignment for three years.
Jon Sherman began his career in Hollywood three decades ago.
(
Mandalit del Barco/NPR
)
He began his career 30 years ago, writing for Bill Nye the Science Guy. He also wrote and produced for the original TV series Frasier. Sherman was a WGA strike captain outside Amazon Studios last year.
“It's been the first time in a long career, for which I'm grateful, that I've had a real long layoff. I’ve reached a point where I'm like, ‘Oh, this time feels different.’”
To pay the bills, Sherman says he was in a focus group for dried fruit and in a UCLA research study on exercise. He’s also now a TV game show contestant. But he sure would still love to write for television.
Note: NPR News staffers are also members of SAG-AFTRA, the union of actors and performers that also went on strike last year. Broadcast journalists are under a different contract, however, and were not on strike. Copyright 2024 NPR
The World Cup kicks off this week, and there will be watch parties all over town.
(
Irfan Khan
/
Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)
In this edition:
Foodie Week at Century City, a talk with sculptor Eugene Daubs, the World Cup kicks off and more of the best things to do this week.
Highlights:
Paint en plein air like Matisse, Renoir and other French masters who headed to the Riviera to be inspired by the light and the sea. We have our own little slice of beach heaven right here in Crystal Cove near Newport Beach, and twice a week all summer long you can learn to paint and enjoy the fresh air.
I don’t even know where to start! From the first coin toss on Thursday, countless local bars, public viewing spaces, fan zones, museums, and more will be showing all the World Cup games, so you don’t miss a single kick.
Just ahead of America’s 250th birthday, historical sculptor Eugene Daubwill talk about some of his favorite artworks, like his sculptures of Sacagawea, Rosa Parks and more at the El Segundo Public Library. Daub will sign copies of his new book Eugene Daub: Portraits, Medals, and Monuments, which will be available for purchase.
Century City Mall has attracted some of the buzziest restaurants in the city, and this week many are featuring specials for the center’s Foodie Week.
It’s a very sports-focused week. From the NBA Finals to last weekend’s French Open (I’m still catching up on sleep from getting up too early!) and Freeway Series, to, of course, the first games of the World Cup starting Thursday, there’s really something for every type of sportsball fan. But if you’re not set on gluing yourself to a TV, there’s still plenty to do.
Music-wise, Lyndsey Parker at Licorice Pizza notes that Monday will be a bittersweet night, as the Regent hosts a celebration of life for Gregg Foreman — of Cat Power, the Delta 72 and many other bands — who tragically died in April. Members of She Wants Revenge, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and many more will come together to honor this local hero.
On Tuesday, Rush continues their comeback at the Forum (they’ll also be there Thursday and Saturday), while Quintron & Miss Pussycat with Dagger Polyester bring their revue to the Bob Baker Marionette Theater.
Wednesday, Rod Stewart and special guest Richard Marx play the Hollywood Bowl, the Church congregates at the Fonda and Earl Sweatshirt plays the Hollywood Palladium. On Thursday, FIFA World Cup fever kicks off, with Snoop Dogg at the Santa Monica Pier and Peso Pluma playing the Adidas Home of Soccer event at BMO Stadium.
Writer, historian and curator Hugh Ryan will be in conversation with author Michelle Tea to discuss his new book about LGBTQ life in the '90s, My Bad: A Personal History of the Queer Nineties and Beyond. The talk goes along with the exhibit at FIDM, Obsessed: Fashion and Nostalgia in the ‘90s, open now through June 27. The gallery will be open late as well.
Paint the Park
Mondays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Crystal Cove State Park Los Trancos Lot Newport Beach COST: $110; MORE INFO
Paint en plein air like Matisse, Renoir, and the great French masters who headed to the Riviera to be inspired by the light and the sea. We have our own little slice of beach heaven right here in Crystal Cove, and twice a week all summer long, you can learn to paint and enjoy the fresh air.
Alt:adena
Tuesday, June 9, 7 p.m. Good Neighbor Bar 2311 Lincoln Ave., Altadena COST: FREE; MORE INFO
The second of three community-healing conversations in June is happening at Good Neighbor Bar. This week, Alt:adena focuses on the theme of the land and rebuilding. All are welcome at these events, which are aimed at convening “fire survivors, builders, organizers, and technical experts united by a shared curiosity, whether by choice or lived necessity.”
Tiny Desk Concert
Wednesday, June 10, 7 p.m. The Regent 448 S. Main Street, Downtown L.A. COST: $35.75; MORE INFO
(
LAist
)
The winner of the 2026 Tiny Desk Concert contest, Cure for Paranoia, is out on tour and will take the not-so-tiny stage at the Regent downtown with special guests Noa Bar and Jacquie Lee. Quite the upgrade from Bob Boilen’s desk in DC!
World Cup watch parties
From Thursday, June 11 Various locations COST: VARIES; MORE INFO
The World Cup is coming to SoFi Stadium, and there will be watch parties all around town.
(
Patrick T. Fallon
/
Getty Images
)
I don’t even know where to start! From the first coin toss on Thursday, countless local bars, public viewing spaces, fan zones, museums and more will be showing all the World Cup games, so you don’t miss a single kick. As a starting point, you can check out the free watch parties the city is putting on.
Photography Meets Sculpture
Wednesday, June 10, 7 p.m. Beverly Hills Public Library 444 N Rexford Drive, 2nd Floor, Beverly Hills COST: FREE; MORE INFO
(
PAC LA
/
Eventbrite
)
Get a preview of LACMA photography department curator Eve Schillo’s upcoming exhibition, Photography Meets Sculpture: Talking about Photo Hybrids, at this event hosted by the Photographic Arts Council Los Angeles. The exhibit will tour Southern California next summer as part of LACMA's Local Access initiative.
Eugene Daub: Sculpting Through History
Thursday, June 11, 5:30 p.m. El Segundo Public Library 111 W. Mariposa Ave., El Segundo COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Just ahead of America’s 250th birthday, historical sculptor Eugene Daub will talk about some of his favorite artworks, like his sculptures of Sacagawea, Rosa Parks and more, at the El Segundo Public Library. Daub will also sign copies of his new book, Eugene Daub: Portraits, Medals, and Monuments, which will be available for purchase.
Foodie Week
Through Sunday, June 14 Westfield Century City 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Century City COST: VARIES, MORE INFO
Century City Mall has attracted some of the buzziest restaurants in the city, and this week, many are featuring specials for the center’s Foodie Week. Some of the highlights include Katsuya’s $65 three-course prix fixe menu at dinner, while Super Peach also has a $65 prix fixe. Eataly's rooftop restaurant has $35 lunch and $65 dinner prix fixe menu, and my favorite, Venchi, has buy one gelato, get the second half off, plus 20% off all gelato to-go containers.
Soccer Shots, a kids soccer program, is hosting a Game Day at the Americana.
(
Courtesy Discover Los Angeles
)
Topline:
There are plenty of World Cup-related things to do with kids and a list of activities around L.A. to help you get in on the tournament action. Here's a guide to help you plan without spending a fortune on tickets.
Why it matters: The World Cup already is a massive undertaking for organizers. So imagine what it would take for families to brave the traffic, parking and crowds for one of the eight tournament matches at SoFi Stadium this summer.
What to expect: There's plenty to do at the California Science Center and at parks across Los Angeles for kids. Programming is available around the tournament and most events are free.
Read on ... to find out what to do with the kids this summer.
The World Cup already is a massive undertaking for organizers. So imagine what it would take for families to brave the traffic, parking and crowds for one of the eight tournament matches at SoFi Stadium this summer.
But don’t worry: There are plenty of World Cup-related things to do with kids and a bunch of activities around L.A. to help you get in on the tournament action.
L.A. County Library's Summer of Soccer starts now
(
Courtesy LA County Library
)
LA County Library Summer of Soccer
LA County Library is celebrating the World Cup being in town with a “Summer of Soccer” at its branches. Activities include storytimes, movie nights and craft-making activities for kids of varying ages.
California Science Center's new exhibition celebrates the transformative power of play and the joy of the human body in motion.
(
Courtesy California Science Center
)
California Science Center ‘GAME ON!’ exhibit
The California Science Center has a new 17,000-square-foot exhibit, “GAME ON! Science, Sports & Play,” full of interactive activities to explore the science behind sports. The exhibit includes a practice batting area and a mini-field to practice soccer kicks.
When: Now, through the LA 2028 Olympics
Cost: Admission is free, but groups of 15 or more require a timed reservation.
The city is hosting a series of family-friendly watch parties across the city during the World Cup. The parties will have youth soccer clinics and “family fun zones” with interactive activities and arts. Other cities, like West Hollywood and Pasadena, are also hosting local family-friendly watch parties.
Soccer Shots, a kids soccer program, is hosting a Game Day at the Americana.
(
Courtesy Discover Los Angeles
)
Soccer Shots Game Day
Soccer Shots, a kids soccer program, is hosting a Game Day at the Americana on June 27 for children 5-8 years old. Players will be split into teams to play round-robin style games.
Did you know that the American Youth Soccer Organization, or more commonly known as AYSO, was founded in Torrance? Well, the museum there is hosting a curated collection of soccer memorabilia to celebrate the World Cup.
If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.
Gab Chabrán
covers what's happening in food and culture for LAist.
Published June 7, 2026 5:00 AM
A selection of wings and fries at Wings 2 Go in Inglewood.
(
Brian Feinzimer
/
LAist
)
Topline:
Tens of thousands of international soccer fans are about to descend on Inglewood for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. SoFi Stadium is one of the tournament's premier venues — but the best reason to spend time in the neighborhood has nothing to do with what's happening on the pitch.
Why it matters: Inglewood's food scene reflects a city where Black and Latino residents make up nearly 90% of the population. These aren't tourist traps — they're the spots locals have been eating at for years, from a James Beard-recognized soul food diner open since 1983 to a carnitas truck with roots in Michoacán.
Why now: The World Cup runs through July. Matches at SoFi mean game-day crowds and long waits elsewhere. These eight spots — spanning BBQ, Jamaican, Mexican, Italian-American, and more — are worth knowing before you go.
Thousands of international soccer fans are about to descend on Inglewood for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. SoFi Stadium is the tournament's premier venues — but the best reason to spend time in the neighborhood has nothing to do with what's happening on the pitch.
Inglewood's food scene reflects a city where Black and Latino residents make up nearly 90% of the population. These aren't tourist traps — they're the spots locals have been eating at for years, from a James Beard-recognized soul food diner open since 1983 to a carnitas truck with roots in Michoacán.
Here's where to eat before the whistle blows.
Wings 2 Go
Lemon pepper chicken wings from Wings 2 Go in Inglewood.
(
Cesar Hernandez
/
LAist
)
Wings 2 Go is a small but mighty wing shop that sits in a tiny strip mall along Crenshaw Boulevard, attracting wing fanatics from far and wide looking to get a fiery bite. The menu at Wings isn't huge by most standards but it still manages to pack a punch when it comes to offering a variety of tastes and flavors.
Opt for the six-piece ATL Special with hot lemon pepper seasoning, $10.91. Upon the first transformative bite of a wing, suddenly you're Jordan after clinching his first NBA finals win in 1991, celebrating in ecstasy. The sticky, crunch-fried wing is drenched in the perfect amount of sauce, then sprinkled with galactic bits of salty, citrusy lemon pepper seasoning that will leave your lips tingling.
If you're looking to broaden your flavor horizons, there are also jerk BBQ, aji verde, and Cajun rub as sauce options. Whichever fiery selections you choose, wash them down with lemonade or sweet tea, or go for a hole-in-one with an Arnold Palmer to quench your thirst.
Location: 10925 Crenshaw Blvd. #101, Inglewood Hours: Open Mon–Fri 11 a.m.–7:30 p.m., Sat 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
Country Style Jamaican Restaurant
The exterior of Country Style Jamaican Restaurant.
(
Brian Feinzimer
/
LAist
)
Our love for Jamaican-style take-out restaurants knows no bounds, and the city of Inglewood has some of the best Jamaican food in Los Angeles.
This particular casual walk-up counter establishment has a particular place in our heart. The welcoming, joyous atmosphere is infectious as soon as you enter. The walls are painted the same dark green as the Jamaican flag. Images of Black luminaries are featured next to maxims extolling a virtue-filled life.
To get the most for your buck, we recommend choosing any of the mini plate options. Our personal favorite is the curried goat ($14.50). Stewed bone-in pieces of goat have been cooked in a dark yellow curry full of aromatic spices. The chunks of meat are spicy, juicy, and fatty, and fall off the bone onto a bed of rice and beans that's also saturated with maximum curry flavors.
Location: 630 N. La Brea Ave., Suite 111, Inglewood Hours: Open Mon, Tue, Thu–Sun 10:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m. Closed Wednesdays.
Carnitas El Artista
Plates of tacos at Carnitas El Artista.
(
Brian Feinzimer
/
LAist
)
While it might be easy to pledge one's allegiance to the culinary wonder that is carnitas, how often do you take it upon yourself to dive deep into the different parts of the pig? Each has its own unique textures that delight with every helping. Carnitas El Artista is where such dreams can come true, thanks to the hard work of owner Gustavo Chavez and his family, who are from Michoacán, the Mexican state known as the birthplace of carnitas.
With Mexico entering the World Cup as one of the tournament's most celebrated footballing nations, this is where to eat in their honor. Their tacos de carnitas ($4.95 each) are the best option: choose the mix that includes all the different cuts of pork.
The sizable taco manages to pack all the flavor and texture of each aspect of the protein, providing an extremely nuanced bite that combines sticky, fatty, and chewy elements. Serve the meat on a fresh tortilla with crisp-tasting salsa, topped with thin shards of red onion, for the right amount of acidity to cut the richness of the pork.
It's a showtime taco for the masses, if ever there was one. Pro tip: they offer a 2-for-1 deal on tacos Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to close.
Location: 510 N. La Brea Ave., Inglewood Hours: Open Mon 8 a.m.–6:30 p.m.; Tue, Thu–Fri 9 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sat–Sun 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Closed Wednesdays.
Woody's Bar-B-Que
The inflation fighter (3x) lunch special at Woody’s Bar-B-Que.
(
Brian Feinzimer
/
LAist
)
If you've spent any time in Inglewood, there's a good chance you've seen Woody's Bar-B-Queon Market Street. If not, you've definitely smelled it. The unmistakable aroma of delicious grilled and smoked meat is the unofficial scent of that part of town. It's not uncommon for lines to wrap around the small business, spilling into the moderately sized parking lot.
It's never not a joyous occasion at Woody's as you wait in line to place your order at the walk-up window, where overhead speakers play booming deep cuts from the '80s and '90s R&B or Madlib's Shades of Blue, helping set the mood.
Our favorite aspect of Woody's is the lunch special menu, which feels like a trip back to when the restaurant opened in 1975. Names like Inflation Fighter, Business Man's Lunch, and Lady's Lunch all add to its charm and cost $10.95.
All plates come in a brown paper bag, giving the vibe of the school lunch that your mom used to pack, along with two slices of white bread and a small container of a side of your choice.
Location: 475 S. Market St., Inglewood Hours: Open daily 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
El Capitalino
Quesadilla fritas from El Capitalino MX food truck.
(
Brian Feinzimer
/
LAist
)
What if the quesadillas from your youth were, in fact, a gateway into a large quesadilla universe that's actually larger than what you might have originally considered? El Capitalino achieves just that. Owner Ivan Gomez was inspired by the quesadillas he saw prepared during a trip to Mexico City and by his mother and grandmother, who grew up making the meal. For $5, each thick corn tortilla is made by hand, usually by Ivan's mom, Norma Ramirez. She takes the raw masa and forms it into a flat disk, then stuffs it with cheese.
The tortilla is then folded and fried in oil. After it's done cooking, the quesadilla is removed, pulled apart, and packed with a filling of your choice — chicken tinga, hongos, rajas con queso, carne asada, or chicharrón prensado — then fried with guajillo salsa and stuffed with lettuce and cream. No matter what the filling is, you'll get a unique griddled cheesiness, accented by expertly flavored fillings, that makes for one of the best-tasting quesadillas we've ever had.
The Serving Spoon has been an Inglewood cornerstone for four decades, dishing up grilled corn bread and fried turkey chops.
(
Isaiah Murtaugh
/
The LA Local
)
Founded in 1983 by Harold E. Sparks — a young man from Hamilton, Ohio who traded a steady foreman job at General Motors for his dream of opening a soul food restaurant in Inglewood — The Serving Spoon is now in its third generation of family ownership and a recent recipient of the James Beard Foundation's America's Classics award.
The Foundation called it a "vital social and cultural anchor," which feels right the moment you slide into one of the red leather booths or take a seat at the wooden counter.
Go for breakfast: the catfish and waffle, the salmon croquettes, the grits. Plates run $15–25, depending on your protein. Come early on weekends or expect a wait.
If you're visiting from out of town and want to understand Inglewood's cultural legacy in a single meal, this is the place to start.
Cheesy garlic bread at Sunday Gravy, the Italian-American spot on Centinela Avenue in Inglewood.
(
Courtesy Sunday Gravy
)
In the early 1970s, the Bashirian family opened their first restaurant, Jino's, in this very same Centinela Avenue location — aiming to give the people of Inglewood something different from the big chains.
Their children Sol and Ghazi have continued building on that foundation with Sunday Gravy, a modern red-sauce Italian-American spot serving fresh pasta from Florentyna's and artisan breads from Cadoro Bakery, both made in Inglewood.
Italy is one of the world's great football nations, and this is about as close as the neighborhood gets to a proper Italian-American Sunday table: meatballs with whipped ricotta, short rib ragù, Caesar salad with Calabrian pepper aioli.
South L.A. hasn't traditionally been known for its vibrant restaurant scene, but that's slowly changing — and Somerville, opened by actor and entrepreneur Issa Rae along with partners Yonnie Hagos and Ajay Relan of GVO Hospitality, is one of the reasons why.
Technically a short drive from SoFi, the name refers to Hotel Somerville, a focal point for the Black jazz scene on Central Avenue in the 1930s and '40s that regularly hosted Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, and Billie Holiday. "I just wanted to be able to dress up, hang out, and eat well in my neighborhood," Rae has said.
The menu honors the spirit of the original hotel: start with Parker House rolls with truffle butter ($19) or the fried chicken and caviar sliders ($29), then move on to the collard green lasagna ($36) or paccheri pasta with short rib ragù ($36). It's a dressed-up night out in a neighborhood that's long deserved exactly that.
Location: 4437 W. Slauson Ave., Los Angeles. Hours: Open Wed–Sat 6–11 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m.–2 p.m. (brunch) and 6–11 p.m.
Bridget “Biddy” Mason became one of Los Angeles’ first Black woman landowners, building wealth through real estate.
(
LaMonica Peters
/
The LA Local
)
Topline:
From the city’s Black founders and their fight to be free from slavery to a Black architect who designed thousands of buildings throughout the city, L.A.'s first Black residents has had lasting influence.
Why it matters: Los Angeles is often celebrated for its warm weather, Hollywood glamour and championship sports teams, but the city’s foundation has a powerful Black history that is often overlooked.
Read on ... for a look at seven key Black history sites you can visit.
Los Angeles is often celebrated for its warm weather, Hollywood glamour and championship sports teams but the city’s foundation has a powerful Black history that is often overlooked.
From the city’s Black founders and their fight to be free from slavery, to a Black architect who designed thousands of buildings throughout the city, L.A.’s first Black residents have had lasting influence.
The LA Local traveled around the city to unearth some of the intriguing Black history facts. Here we highlight seven sites in Los Angeles that show the contributions of Black people in Los Angeles.
Bridget ‘Biddy’ Mason Memorial Park
Situated behind an office building on South Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles is a tribute to Bridget “Biddy” Mason. She was born enslaved in Mississippi and was brought to California by her owner Robert Marion Smith — even though slavery was illegal in California. After being enslaved in the state for five years, Mason won her freedom in 1856 by challenging her enslavement in court. Thirteen other family members were also freed, according to the National Park Service..
She became one of L.A.’s first Black woman landowners building wealth through real estate. Her net worth was said to be about $3 million in the 1860s, which would equate to nearly $60 million today. She also provided housing and food for the poor, acted as a midwife and helped establish the city’s first Black church, NPS noted.
The memorial park stands near property she once owned.
First African Methodist Episcopal Church
The First African Methodist Episcopal Church, also known as First AME or FAME, was co-founded in 1872 by Mason and other Black leaders. It was first located on Spring Street in Los Angeles, according to the National Park Service. The church was then moved to Harvard Boulevard, where it still stands today. It became a spiritual, political and organizing hub for Black Angelenos during segregation, according to the church’s website.
Most recently, the church was pastored by the Rev. Cecil Murray from 1977 to 2004. Under his leadership the church grew from 250 members to 18,000 at the time of his retirement, according to the Los Angeles Sentinel.
The first home built by architect Paul R. Williams
Though he faced racial discrimination, Paul Revere Williams became one of the most celebrated architects in L.A., whose legacy reshaped the city’s skyline and luxury design culture.
He was the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects. He designed thousands of buildings during his career, including The Beverly Hills Hotel and homes for Hollywood stars like Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball. Williams was also part of the team that designed the iconic Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport, as reported by LAist.
His first home sits in South Central and is designated as a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument, according to the Los Angeles Conservancy. He lived in this home for about 30 years until racial covenants were outlawed in the 1950s.
African American Firefighter Museum
On Central Avenue in South Central sits the historic fire station and museum that honors the Black firefighters who broke racial barriers in the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The museum “resides inside Fire Station No. 30, one of two segregated firehouses in Los Angeles between 1924 and 1955,” according to the museum’s website. The museum also notes that Sam Haskins was the first Black man to join the L.A. Fire Department in 1892 and died three years later fighting a fire.
The museum was founded in 1997 and is a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument. It is also registered with the National Register of Historic Places.
Before taking office, he worked as a janitor for the city’s Department of Water and Power, according to LA City Parks.
Elected in 1963, Lindsay represented District 9 for nearly 30 years. He supported civil rights and fought for economic investment, infrastructure improvements and services in historically underserved Black neighborhoods. He also served on the board of directors of the NAACP.
28th Street YMCA
The 28th Street YMCA building was designed by Williams, the renowned architect.
It was originally constructed to serve Black residents in L.A. who were banned from other facilities during segregation, according to the LA Conservancy. It won a Conservancy Preservation Award in 2013.
It became a hub for housing, community programs and social gatherings. Today, it serves as affordable housing for low-income adults and is listed with the National Register of Historic Places.
The Ralph J. Bunche House
The former home of Ralph J. Bunche, the first Black person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, is located in South Central on East 40th Place. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bunche played a key role in negotiating the 1949 Arab-Israeli armistice agreements through the United Nations. He also helped organize the civil rights march in Montgomery, Ala., in 1965, the Nobel Peace Prize organization said.
Born in Detroit, he moved to L.A. with his family and later became valedictorian at Jefferson High School. He attended UCLA on an athletic scholarship and “graduated in 1927 summa cum laude, valedictorian of his class, with a major in international relations,” the Nobel Peace Prize organization said. He also received a master’s degree in political science from Harvard in 1928. The Ralph J. Bunche Center was established in 1969 at UCLA in his honor.
