For more than a century, South Los Angeles has been an anchor for Black art, activism and commerce, from the 1920s, when Central Avenue was the epicenter of the West Coast jazz scene, to recent years, when artists and entrepreneurs revitalized the area with new developments like Destination Crenshaw.
Now, the region's legacy is receiving formal recognition as a Black Cultural District, a historic move that aims to preserve the rich history of South Los Angeles and spur economic growth. State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles), who led the effort, helped secure $5.5 million in state funding to support the project, and in December the state agency California Arts Council voted unanimously to approve the designation. The district, formally known as the South Los Angeles Historic Black Cultural District, is now one of 24 state-designated cultural districts, which also includes the newly added Black Arts Movement and Business District in Oakland.
Before this vote, there were no state designations that recognized the black community, a realization that caused Smallwood-Cuevas to spring into action.
“It was very frustrating for me to know that black culture was not included,” said Smallwood-Cuevas, who represents South Los Angeles. Other cultural districts include Los Angeles' Little Tokyo and San Diego's Barrio Logan Cultural District, which has its roots in Chicano history. Given all the economic and cultural contributions South Los Angeles has made over the years through events like the Leimert Park and Central Avenue Jazz Festivals and beloved businesses like Dulan's on Crenshaw and the Lula Washington Dance Theatre, Smallwood-Cuevas believed the community deserved to be recognized. He worked on this project alongside LA Commons, a nonprofit organization dedicated to community arts programs.
Beyond mere recognition, Smallwood-Cuevas said the designation serves as “an anti-displacement strategy,” especially as the demographics of South Los Angeles continue to change.
“Black people have experienced a huge level of erasure in South Los Angeles,” added Karen Mack, founder and executive director of LA Commons. “A lot of people don't have the luxury of living in areas that were once populated by us, so I think it's important to really affirm our history, affirm that we matter in the history of Los Angeles.”
The South Los Angeles Historic Cultural District encompasses approximately 25 square miles and is situated between Adams Boulevard to the north, Manchester Boulevard to the south, Central Avenue to the east, and La Brea Avenue to the west.
Now that the designation has been approved, Smallwood-Cuevas and LA Commons have turned their attention to the monument (the physical landmark that will serve as the entrance or focal point of the district) trying to determine whether it should be a gateway, a bridge, a sculpture or something else.
And then there is the most important question: where should it be placed? After meeting with organizations like Black Planners of Los Angeles and community leaders, they narrowed their search to eight potential locations, including Exposition Park, Central Avenue and Leimert Park, which received the most votes in a recent public poll that closed earlier this month.
As organizers work to finalize the cultural district monument location for this summer, we've broken down the potential sites and highlighted their historical relevance. (Please note: Although some of the sites are described as specific intersections, such as Jefferson and Crenshaw boulevards, organizers consider them more general areas.)
