Monthly Archives: July 2026

Black L.A., 1947: Kiwanis Refuses to Give Lottery Winner a New Cadillac Because He’s Black

On June 19, 1947, the Kiwanis Club of Ahoskie, N.C., refuses to award lottery winner Harvey Jones a new Cadillac because he is Black. Continue reading

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July 31, 1907: After a Day at the Beach, Beer, a Fight and Gunshots

July 31, 1907: A day at the beach ends in a fight over beer. Evelyn Ferguson is accused of shooting newsboy Charles ‘Winnipeg’ Wilson with a policeman’s gun because Wilson was attacking her friend, who ‘was not in a condition to remember much about how it happened.’ Continue reading

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July 30, 1947: Peaches Strange at the Follies Burlesque

July 30, 1947: Peaches Strange, an ‘artistic’ stripper at the Follies Burlesque, is a modest woman who used to teach Sunday School. Continue reading

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, July 30, 1944

July 30, 1944: Louella Parsons profiles two new glamour girls at MGM: June Allyson and Gloria de Haven. Continue reading

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July 30: 1907: Runaway Horse Races Down Broadway, Plows Into Hotel Lobby

July 30, 1907: A furniture van hits a buggy hitched at Jevne’s grocery, frightening the horse, which runs down Broadway, swerves onto the sidewalk and plunges through a plate glass window of the Hotel Lankershim. Continue reading

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Matt Weinstock, July 29, 1959

“Great Scott! I’ve Kept You Rigid for Almost Two Hours! Why Didn’t You Stop Me, Miss Simmons? Body Surfers It appears that Bob Lee, who, as reported here, was knocked down by an unidentified object, which turned out to be … Continue reading

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Paul V. Coates — Confidential File, July 29, 1959

July 29, 1959: Paul Coates writes about a man who has a problem with a wildcat in a eucalyptus tree. Also: A man tells Dear Abby he can’t live without his ex-wife. Continue reading

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July 29, 1945: 13 Die When B-25 Hits Empire State Building

July 29, 1945: Newspaper coverage of a B-25 bomber hitting the Empire State Building. Continue reading

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Reminder: My Next Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia Case Is August 4

Reminder: Boxie and I will be doing a live Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia case next Tuesday, August 4, at 10 a.m. Pacific time at YouTube.com/LMHarnisch. Have questions? Leave them in the comments. Continue reading

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July 28, 1947: Free Horoscope for Your DOG!

July 28, 1947: Free horoscope for your DOG! Continue reading

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July 28, 1907: L.A. Seeks to Clear Books of Old Laws on Bear Baiting, Quail Hunting by Streetcar Conductors

July 28, 1907: Los Angeles seeks to rid itself of outdated laws like hunting rabbits on Spring Street or conductors abandoning their streetcars to go quail hunting at the end of the line. Continue reading

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July 27, 1947: Chinese Author Visits Dr. George Hodel

July 27, 1947: Chinese author Helena Kuo visits Dr. George Hodel. Continue reading

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Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

For Monday, we have a mysterious guest! Continue reading

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July 27, 1907: Mayor Harper Calls for More LAPD Officers, New Library, More Schools

July 27, 1907: Mayor Harper lists his 20 recommendations, including the Owens River aqueduct, more LAPD officers, a public library, more schools and ‘purification’ of billboards. Continue reading

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July 26, 1947: Son Cleared of Killing Father During Attack on Mother

July 26, 1947: Son cleared of killing father during attack on mother. Continue reading

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1944 in Print — Hollywood News and Gossip by Louella Parsons, July 25, 1944

July 25, 1944: Loretta Young and Col. Tom Lewis have not bought “Bugsey” Siegel’s mansion. Too expensive, they decided, and the baby, due in a month, will have its first nursery in the house where they now live, Louella Parsons says. Continue reading

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Dead Man’s Last Words: ‘Here’s a Good Spot to Shoot, Baby,’ July 25, 1944

July 25, 1944: William B. Smith’s last words to his angry girlfriend were “Here’s a good spot to shoot, baby,” after he said he was going back to his wife. Continue reading

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July 24, 1947: Honor Student Vesta Belle Sapenter, 17, Strangled

July 24, 1947: Vesta Belle Sapenter, an honor student at Jefferson High, is found partially undressed and strangled. Continue reading

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July 24, 1907: Columbia University Professor Becomes an Explorer of the Occult

July 24, 1907: Former Columbia professor James H. Hyslop is trying to raise interest in a scientific approach to psychic research while debunking frauds and fakes. Continue reading

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July 23, 2009: Darryl Thomas Kemp, Paroled Sex Killer Strikes Again, Gets Death Penalty for the Third Time

July 23, 2009: Darryl Thomas Kemp, paroled sex killer, is sentenced to death in the 1978 killing of Armida Wiltsey. Continue reading

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