Historic Neighborhoods with a Bright Future

From the late 1800s to early 1910s, African Americans began relocating to the area, mostly organizing around landholdings of Los Angeles pioneer Biddy Mason. The African American population continued to grow into the 1940s, and countless Jazz nightclubs lined South Central Avenue leading to LA's status as one of the preeminent homes for jazz music. In the 1990s, the neighborhood shifted to becoming a hub for Latino immigrants, with many being drawn by low rents and central City location. With the addition of the Metro Blue Line on the Washington Boulevard corridor, this has spurred lot of growth and a community plan recently adopted by the L.A. City Council hopes to revitalize the neighborhood for future generations.