One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
1920s Ad For Eagle Rock Promises 'All White' Residents
(via Michael Kohlhaas, Reddit)
In 1923, Eagle Rock became a part of Los Angeles, and it was quickly developed and marketed to the masses. In an ad that will make your palm hit your face, the Greater Eagle Rock Club promoted the neighborhood as one that was home to "the white or caucasian race," exclusively. The ad showed up in papers like The Sentinel, which a decade later noted that as a result "a real boom was started for Eagle Rock." Here's the text:
Eagle Rock has had a steady and natural growth without exploitation—and thus presents a firm foundation for a very remarkable development during the next few years. EVERYONE is talking Eagle Rock — because: The advantageous location of Eagle Rock is unexcelled! Eagle Rock is a corporate part of the great city of Los Angeles! Our hills and dales provide the most favored of 'view' homesites! Favorable restrictions help create a community of beautiful homes! The residents of Eagle Rock are all of the White or Caucasian race!
Over time, of course, Eagle Rock has seen many ethnic and socioeconomic groups, and has been considered "highly diverse"—recently, the population breakdown was: Latino (40%), followed by White (29%), Asian (23.9%), and Black (1.9%). In more recent years, the area—which is next to the now-hip Highland Park—has become more gentrified and populated with young professionals and creatives.
Hollywood, 1925. (Getty)
This Eagle Rock ad is just one in a history of racist ads promoting areas protected from "metropolitan development." In a 1924 ad for Hollywoodland, residents of L.A. are urged to "protect your family by procuring a home place in the Hills of Hollywoodland—secured by fixed and natural restrictions against the inroads of metropolitanism."
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
