Category Archives: African Americans

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Peter P. Jones, Pioneering Black Photographer

Posted on February 20, 2024 by lmharnisch

Booker T. Washington, photographed by Peter P. Jones, Chicago, about 1910, from the Library of Congress. During the early decades of the 1900s, few African Americans participated or worked for major moving picture studios in leading positions in front or … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Photography | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Madame Sul-Te-Wan, Pioneering Black Movie Star

Posted on February 13, 2024 by lmharnisch

Often overlooked for her contribution to cinema, Nellie Conley, known onscreen as Madame Sul-Te-Wan, was the first African American signed to a film contract at a time when they possessed few rights or recognition in American society, unless they were … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Mabel Fairbanks, Wonder Girl of the Ice

Posted on February 5, 2024 by lmharnisch

Mabel Fairbanks in the California Eagle, Nov. 8, 1945. Note: This is an encore post from 2022. Knockout African American ice skater Mabel Fairbanks wowed audiences from the 1940s through the 1960s. A true natural, she exuded joy and happiness … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Sports | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Rose McClendon, First Lady of Black Theater

Posted on February 23, 2023 by lmharnisch

Rose McClendon, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, via the New York Public Library. The first lady of the early Black stage, largely forgotten today, Rose McClendon set a blazing example of how talent could offer opportunity, even in difficult, discriminatory … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Stage | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Mabel Fairbanks, Wonder Girl of the Ice

Posted on February 21, 2022 by lmharnisch

Mabel Fairbanks in the California Eagle, Nov. 8, 1945. Knockout African American ice skater Mabel Fairbanks wowed audiences from the 1940s through the 1960s. A true natural, she exuded joy and happiness twirling and gliding upon the ice. While extremely … Continue reading →

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Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: ‘Hollywood’s Architect | The Paul R. Williams Story’ – A Moving Portrait of Renowned Black Leader

Posted on February 14, 2022 by lmharnisch

Courtesy of KCET/PBS SoCal. Note: This is an encore post from 2020. The documentary is online here. Long renowned for its excellent documentaries and intelligent programming, KCET PBS SoCal premieres another strong work with its moving portrait of pioneering African … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Architecture, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Holiday Shopping Guide

Posted on December 18, 2021 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2018. I only recommend books that I have read, which is why I haven’t listed Susan Orlean’s “The Library Book” or Stephen Gee’s “Los Angeles City Hall: An American Icon.” I look forward … Continue reading →

Posted in 2016, African Americans, Books and Authors, History | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Noble Johnson Emancipates African Americans With Lincoln Film Co.

Posted on February 15, 2021 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2019. Recognized for playing Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and Latinos in “King Kong,” “The Mummy,” “The Ten Commandments” and many others throughout his long film career, African American Noble Johnson achieved greater renown … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

L.A. Daily Mirror Retro Holiday Shopping Guide: ‘Making Black Los Angeles’

Posted on December 11, 2020 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2018. I only recommend books that I have read, which is why I haven’t listed Susan Orlean’s “The Library Book” or Stephen Gee’s “Los Angeles City Hall: An American Icon.” I look forward … Continue reading →

Posted in 2016, African Americans, Books and Authors, History | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Navy Releases Accounts of Pearl Harbor

Posted on December 7, 2020 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2011. Dec. 22, 1941: The Navy releases three personal accounts of the Pearl Harbor attack. Many acts of heroism are described, and these few lines shed more light on the presence of African … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, African Americans, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Jimmie Fidler, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Noble Johnson Emancipates African Americans With Lincoln Film Co.

Posted on February 17, 2020 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2019. Recognized for playing Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and Latinos in “King Kong,” “The Mummy,” “The Ten Commandments” and many others throughout his long film career, African American Noble Johnson achieved greater renown … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: ‘Hollywood’s Architect | The Paul R. Williams Story’ – A Moving Portrait of Renowned Black Leader

Posted on February 5, 2020 by lmharnisch

Courtesy of KCET/PBS SoCal. Long renowned for its excellent documentaries and intelligent programming, KCET PBS SoCal premieres another strong work with its moving portrait of pioneering African American architect Paul R. Williams in “Hollywood’s Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story.” … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Architecture, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted on November 6, 2019 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2018 that is getting lots of interest on Reddit. This is a story that involves a $1 lottery ticket, a new Cadillac and an incredible amount of stupidity by members of an ostensibly … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, African Americans, Transportation | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights: Noble Johnson Emancipates African Americans With Lincoln Film Co.

Posted on February 25, 2019 by lmharnisch

Recognized for playing Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and Latinos in “King Kong,” “The Mummy,” “The Ten Commandments” and many others throughout his long film career, African American Noble Johnson achieved greater renown for establishing Lincoln Motion Picture Company in 1916, … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Feb. 6, 1959: Paul Coates — Butch Harris Joins Cub Scouts at Last

Posted on February 7, 2019 by lmharnisch

Feb. 6, 1959: Paul Coates writes a happy ending to the Lewis “Butch” Harris saga. This comes after the Sentinel reported a different outcome. Coates’ column originally appeared in the L.A. Mirror in 1959 and was republished on latimes.com in … Continue reading →

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January 1959: Butch Harris’ Fight to Join the Cub Scouts

Posted on January 19, 2019 by lmharnisch

Ten years ago, when we were doing the Daily Mirror blog at latimes.com, several of us wondered what became of Butch Harris and his attempt to join the Cub Scouts. Fortunately, the L.A. Sentinel is online and we have an … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, African Americans, Columnists, Education, Paul Coates | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dec. 10, 1958: Paul Coates – Mothers Seek to Bar Black Boy From Cub Scouts

Posted on January 17, 2019 by lmharnisch

Dec. 10, 1958: Here’s Paul Coates’ earlier column about Butch Harris, the young African American boy who was denied admission to the Cub Scouts.. The column originally appeared in the L.A. Mirror in 1958 and was republished on latimes.com in … Continue reading →

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Jan. 17, 1959: Lakers Back Elgin Baylor in Refusing to Stay at Segregated Hotel

Posted on January 17, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 17, 1959: Keith Thursby has the story of the Minneapolis Lakers moving out of a hotel in Charleston, W.Va., after operators refused to give a room to rookie Elgin Baylor and two other black players. Baylor boycotted the game, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, African Americans, Keith Thursby, Sports | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Jan. 16, 1959: Paul Coates – Cub Scouts Bar Butch H. Because He Is Black

Posted on January 16, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 16, 1959: The Cub Scouts don’t want to admit 9-year-old Butch because he’s black. This is one of my favorite Paul Coates columns and well worth the read. The column originally appeared in the L.A. Mirror in 1959 and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, African Americans, Columnists, Paul Coates | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Video: David Blight on ‘Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom’

Posted on January 4, 2019 by lmharnisch

I’m late to the party on this book, but I was pleased to run across a Q and A with historian David Blight of Yale on his new biography, “Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom.” The session, with Princeton professor Eddie … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, African Americans, Books and Authors, History | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments