Category Archives: Countdown to Watts

The Daily Mirror Is Moving

Posted on June 16, 2011 by lmharnisch

I’m moving to LADailyMirror.com Henry Fuhrmann, one of the assistant managing editors at The Times, likes to say: “Always take the high road. The view is nicer up there.” Henry is my friend, as well as my supervisor, and he … Continue reading →

Posted in Countdown to Watts, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, UFOs, World War II | 23 Comments

Mayor Accuses LAPD of Spying on Political Supporters

Posted on June 9, 2011 by lmharnisch

June 9, 1961: Mayor-elect Sam Yorty comes out swinging, with charges that the LAPD was spying on his supporters, and he takes a little shot against The Times. Police Chief William H. Parker quickly disputed Yorty’s allegations, saying they were … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1961, art and artists, Comics, Countdown to Watts, Crime and Courts, LAPD | Leave a comment

Yorty Elected Mayor!

Posted on June 1, 2011 by lmharnisch

             June 1, 1961: Sam Yorty defeats Norris Poulson in the mayor’s race. Poulson says one reason for his loss was the Memorial Day riot in Griffith Park in which a mob of African Americans … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1961, art and artists, Comics, Countdown to Watts, Crime and Courts, Front Pages, LAPD, Parks and Recreation | Leave a comment

Freedom Rider: ‘We Were All Prepared to Die’

Posted on May 22, 2011 by lmharnisch

        May 22, 1961:  Susan Herrmann, 20, an exchange student from Whittier College at Fisk University, Nashville, majoring in psychology, was one of two white girl "freedom riders" mobbed in Montgomery's race riot. Here is her account … Continue reading →

Posted in 1961, Countdown to Watts | 5 Comments

Jim Murray, May 11, 1961

Posted on May 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

            May 11, 1961: The horse player is the hardest guy I know to please in the whole world of sports. He is grumpy, cynical, suspicious. He never smiles. No matter what happens he is … Continue reading →

Posted in #Jim Murray, 1961, art and artists, Countdown to Watts, Sports | Leave a comment

Elijah Muhammad Calls for Separate Black Nation

Posted on April 14, 2011 by lmharnisch

        April 14, 1961: "Elijah Muhammad, 63-year-old leader of the politico-religious cult known as the Muslims, today held his first press conference in 30 years and asked for a part of America to form his own country," … Continue reading →

Posted in 1961, Countdown to Watts, Front Pages, RFK | Leave a comment

Faith and the Negro ‘Question’

Posted on February 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

        Feb. 25, 1911: Religion columnist William T. Ellis has a few things on his mind about the Negro “question,” but none of them involve defining what the “question” might be. Presumably it was so familiar to … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, Countdown to Watts, Religion | 1 Comment

Paul Coates, Feb. 22, 1961

Posted on February 22, 2011 by lmharnisch

         Feb. 22, 1961: Longtime readers of the Daily Mirror may recall Paul Coates’ 1959 columns about a young African American boy named Butch Harris, who faced exclusion from the Cub Scouts because of his race. Today, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1961, Columnists, Countdown to Watts, Front Pages | Leave a comment

Wife Seeks Divorce After Learning Mother-in-Law is Black

Posted on January 25, 2011 by lmharnisch

           Jan. 25, 1911: Divorce proceedings reveal the peculiar tale of Elda P. Kenny/Kenney and her husband, Robert. The Kenneys married in Cleveland in 1902 and moved to Los Angeles shortly thereafter, The Times says. In … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Countdown to Watts, Crime and Courts | 7 Comments

Death Reveals ‘Burglar’ Is Suspicious Husband in Disguise

Posted on January 18, 2011 by lmharnisch

            Jan. 18, 1911: Jealousy takes a tragic turn in Long Beach as a suspicious husband tries to catch his wife cheating on him with a house guest and is shot to death when the … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Countdown to Watts, Crime and Courts, Homicide, Long Beach | Leave a comment

Black Politics in L.A., 1913

Posted on January 16, 2011 by lmharnisch

        Feb. 22, 1913: Councilman Robert M. Lusk died in office and the African Americans of Los Angeles called on the council to appoint one of several black contenders to complete his term. Charles C. Flint, a … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, Countdown to Watts, Politics | Leave a comment

Amazing Predictions for 1961!

Posted on December 28, 2010 by lmharnisch

         hile the rest of the news business spends the final days of December looking back at the major events of the year, the Daily Mirror is peering forward, and for us at least, the future is … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930, 1960, 1980, Another Good Story Ruined, Countdown to Watts, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Matt Weinstock, Paul Coates, Thelma Todd, Tom Treanor, Weblogs | 6 Comments

Paul Coates, Dec. 13, 1960

Posted on December 13, 2010 by lmharnisch

       Dec. 13, 1960: Paul Coates has an update on the story of John Howard Griffin, whose book “Black Like Me,” about his experiences pretending to be African American, shocked many white readers. Notice Paul Weeks' byline out … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Columnists, Countdown to Watts, Film, Front Pages, Paul Coates | Leave a comment

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 16, 1940

Posted on November 16, 2010 by lmharnisch

           Nov. 16, 1940: Clark Gable and Carole Lombard are packing for a trailer trek to Nebraska, where they'll visit her relatives, Jimmie Fidler says.

Posted in Countdown to Watts, Film, Hollywood | Leave a comment

Matt Weinstock, Oct. 18, 1960

Posted on October 18, 2010 by lmharnisch

      Oct. 18, 1960: Matt Weinstock has an item on Robert Nathan’s satire “The Weans.” CONFIDENTIAL TO 'SICK INSIDE': Tell your husband you found the letter. He owes you an explanation.

Posted in Columnists, Comics, Countdown to Watts, Matt Weinstock | Leave a comment

Paul Coates, Aug. 17, 1960

Posted on August 17, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Aug. 17, 1960: Paul Coates writes about an economic boycott against African Americans in the South who register to vote.

Posted in Columnists, Countdown to Watts, Paul Coates | 1 Comment

Burned Bones Indicate Grim Fate of Missing Family

Posted on August 5, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Aug. 4, 1910: The San Francisco Call. Isn’t that a great font? And two kinds of “Ms.” Aug. 4-5, 1910: The Kendall family disappears from a ranch outside Santa Rosa and investigators find grisly evidence that they were slaughtered. … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Countdown to Watts, Homicide, Religion | 2 Comments

Lynchings in Florida

Posted on August 4, 2010 by lmharnisch

    Aug. 2, 1910: Alexandria (Va.) Gazette. The Times, Aug. 4, 1910. Aug. 5, 1910: Mahoning (Ohio) Dispatch. Aug. 9, 1910: Bisbee (Ariz.) Daily Review. Aug. 2-9, 1910: It’s a bit difficult to track down the original story about … Continue reading →

Posted in Countdown to Watts, Homicide | 2 Comments

The Protests

Posted on July 14, 2010 by lmharnisch

  Photograph by R.L. Oliver / Los Angeles Times Photographer R.L. Oliver wrote: “The Rev. Maurice A. Dawkins, minister of the People's Independent Church of Christ, started at midnight Sunday in a 24-hour vigil of prayer and fasting, advocating a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960 Democratic Convention, Countdown to Watts, JFK, Photography, Politics | Leave a comment

Fight of the Century Touches Off Race Riots

Posted on July 7, 2010 by lmharnisch

  July 7, 1910: Times cartoonist Edmund Waller “Ted” Gale comments on the race riots that followed Jack Johnson’s defeat of James Jeffries in the Fight of the Century. Many cities barred theaters from showing film of the fight for … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, Countdown to Watts, Sports | Leave a comment