This collection is a little small, mainly because the big influx of Mexican and Central American immigrant families into West Adams and the communities to its immediate south really began around 1990. Most Latino photos in the Library collection are earlier, with strong representation from Santa Ana, the San Gabriels, Pico Rivera, and other communities to the east of West Adams.
Click on thumbnail or on link to see photo
Return to beginning of Photo Collection
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Title: Joe Rivers vs Freddie Welsh, 1914
Description: Joe Rivers, attacking Freddie Welsh at the Vernon Arena. One of the first--and best--Mexican fighters, Rivers was involved in one of the most controversial endings in boxing history. In his lightweight title fight against Ad Wolgast, the two fighters knocked each other out simultaneously. But the referee helped Wolgast to his feet and counted out Rivers, inciting a riot in Vernon. Photo dated: March 17, 1914.
[Our excuse for including a Vernon photo is that one of the three founders of the City of Vernon, Thomas Furlong, lived for many years in West Adams, as did his son Robert Furlong who served as mayor of Vernon, 1948 to 1972.]
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Title: Mexican American musicians, 1915
Description: John Fonseca and his mother, Elaria, with violin and guitar, 1915. Los Angeles.
[This one probably doesn't belong in our area but we couldn't resist.]
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Title: Mexican American family, 1917
Description: Montenegro family, 1917. L to R, top Mary, Albert, Juanita, Leo; bottom Carrie, Carmen (mother), John. 1520 Essex Street, Los Angeles
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Title: Boys in class picture, 20th Street School, 1921
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Title: Mexican American couple in front of church, 1925
Description: Salvador Garcia and Maria Emery in front of St. Vincent Catholic Church, 1925. [At the corner of Adams Blvd and Figueroa Street.]
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Title: Mexican American women, 1926
Description: Maria Emery (at right) and friend, 1926, Flower Street.
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Title: Mexican American children, 1927
Description: Gloria Garcia (Salitrero) and Rosario Emery (at right), 1927, Flower Street.
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Title: Exterior, El Cholo Restaurant, 1931
Description: A close picture of the front of the cafe, showing 4 or 5 steps leading up to the entrance which has an awning reading "Spanish food", and "Orders to take out" on the wall between the door and window. A neon sign above the windows reads "Spanish food".
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Title: Mexican American woman at Olympics, 1932
Description: Marina Aguirre with athletes at the Olympics, 1932. [The 1932 Olympics were held at the Los Angeles Coliseum.]
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Title: Mexican American family at Expostition Park , 1934
Description: L to R Manuel, Luis and Nellie Tafoya at Exposition Park, Easter Sunday 1934.
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Title: Front exterior, El Cholo Restaurant, 4012 S. Broadway Place, 1937
Description: The entire house/restaurant can be seen and includes a large neon sign above the "Spanish food" sign, giving the name "El Cholo Cafe". Address on the house is 1121.
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Title: Mexican American children, ca 1940
Description: Ofelia DeLeon and her brothers as children. L to R Efren, Antonio and Andres. 8th and Mateo Streets.
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Title: Mexican American soldier on furlough, 1943
Description: Steve Delgado with Sisters, Frances (left) and Alice, while home on furlough, 1943. 1234 Gage Street (near Olympic), Los Angeles.
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Title: "Calvacade of the West", war loan drive, 1944
Description: A throng estimated at 350,000 crowded downtown streets to witness the gala spectacle, "Calvacade of the West," which ushered in the 6th War Loan drive. Shown are two of the units in the parade, at left, covered wagons exemplify early days in Los Angeles, while, at right, expert horsemen and horsewomen, headed by Actor Leo Carrillo, move along at the busy intersection of Seventh and Broadway. The Bond drive officially starts in 2 days. Photo dated: November 18, 1944. Seventh and Broadway Streets.
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Title: Pickets outside Farmers and Merchants Bank, Watts, 1948
Description: Afro-American and Mexican American pickets at the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Watts. Bank was picketed by Southeast Interracial Council and Independent Party for not hiring Black or Mexican American tellers.
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Title: Picket line in front of bank , 1948
Description: Picket line outside of the Farmers and Merchants Bank in Watts. Southeast Interracial Council, Independent Pary, and the Fair Employment Practice Committee were protesting the bank's refusal to hire Black or Mexican tellers.
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Title: Ricardo "Pancho" Gonzalez. 1949
Description: The son of an immigrant auto mechanic, East L.A.'s Richard "Pancho" Gonzalez was a high-school dropout who muscled his way into a sport [tennis] dominated by the country-club wealthy. He learned the game at Exposition Park, then won the U.S. Nationals in 1948 and 1949 before renouncing his amateur status at a time when Grand Slam tourneys were closed to pros.Gonzalez spent his prime on tennis' fringe, but those who saw him remember his aggressive, dynamic style well. An opponent once described him at net as, "A God patrolling his personal heaven." Photo dated: September 19, 1949.
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Title: Mexican American woman and son on car, 1950
Description: Mary Martel and her son Fredie on car, 1950. 53rd Street and Grand Avenue.
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Title: Mexican American boys next to car, 1952
Description: Fredie Martel (left) and Jesse De la Rosa, 1954. 53rd Street, Los Angeles. [Library captions are inconsistent on the date. The car is a 1950 Ford.]
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Title: Mexican American birthday party, 1954
Description: Children at birthday party for Fredie Martel (2nd row, far left), 1954. 53rd Street, Los Angeles
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Title: Chicano protest at LAPD, 1968
Description: Protesters march around the block of the downtown headquarters of the Los Angeles Police Department on June 2, 1968. Several thousand members of the Mexican-American community turned out to protest the incarceration of four Brown Beret members.
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Photographer: Mike Sergieff
Title: Alien raid at Globe Laundry, 1978
Description: An INS Agent searches illegal alien suspects outside the Globe Laundry plant at 1157 South Crocker Street, in Los Angeles. Photo dated: October 17, 1978.
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Photographer: Michael Haering
Title: Immigrant day laborers, 1988
Description: Men looking for jobs as day laborers hang out in the 2900 block of West Olympic Blvd. on July 28, 1988, in hopes of snagging odd jobs. INS is targeting employers who hire illegal aliens at job pickup sites on street corners.
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Photographer: Akili-Casundria Ramsess
Title: Changing community, 1988
Description: Community is changing around Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Once a white middle-class suburb up until the early sixties, the area became a predominately black middle class now is seeing the influx of Hispanic and Asian immigrants. Photo dated: April 6, 1988.
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Photographer: Dean Musgrove
Title: Immigrant day laborers, 1989
Description: A group of illegal immigrants wait at a downtown location for day work on March 1, 1989. They are at the Standard Brands Paint store on Pico Blvd.
