Tag Archives: racism

December 9, 1907: Black LAPD Officer Blames Firing on Racism, Rejoins Fire Department

Posted on December 9, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 9, 1907: Mayor Harper has restored E.J. Bowen to his old job in the Fire Department after the rookie police officer was fired for allegedly being a coward—a charge that Bowen, who is Black, blames on racism. Continue reading →

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October 17, 1907: All-White USC Football Team Starts Race Riot Over Tackle by Black Player From Whittier

Posted on October 17, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 17, 1907: A Black player from Whittier State tackles a player for USC’s all-white team, setting off a fight between the teams. Continue reading →

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October 5, 1907: White Neighbors Fight Hilliard Stricklin’s Retirement Home for Blacks

Posted on October 5, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 5, 1907: Hilliard Stricklin wanted to do something for his fellow Blacks: A facility for the elderly and orphaned children, naming it in honor of his mother. White neighbors thought he was bluffing until workers showed up on the site. And then they were furious. Continue reading →

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September 14, 1947: How Many HR Violations Can You Spot in One Ad?

Posted on September 14, 2025 by lmharnisch

September 14, 1947: Union Pacific posts a “help wanted” ad. How many violations can you spot? Continue reading →

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Aug. 2, 1947: Los Angeles County Clerk Refuses Marriage License for Interracial Couple

Posted on August 2, 2025 by lmharnisch

  Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. Her name was Andrea and she was 24. His name was Sylvester and he was 26, a World War II veteran working at Lockheed. And … Continue reading →

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James Ellroy: ‘This Storm’ — Racism and Anti-Semitism Masquerading as History

Posted on June 5, 2019 by lmharnisch

A historical aside to everybody gushing over James Ellroy’s latest, “This Storm,” which opens with a speech from Father Coughlin’s supposed bootleg radio station in Mexico. (Coughlin was a notorious right-wing radio broadcaster of the 1930s who was silenced by … Continue reading →

Posted in 2019, Books and Authors, Radio | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Dec. 9, 1907: Black LAPD Officer Blames Firing on Racism, Rejoins Fire Department

Posted on December 9, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. Dec. 9, 1907 Los Angeles Mayor Harper has restored E.J. Bowen to his old job in the Fire Department after the rookie police officer was fired for allegedly being a coward—a charge … Continue reading →

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Nov. 3, 1947: University of Wisconsin Groups Back Women Facing Eviction for Dating Blacks

Posted on November 3, 2018 by lmharnisch

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October 17, 1907: All-White USC Football Team Starts Race Riot Over Tackle by Black Player From Whittier

Posted on October 17, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: This is an encore post from 2006. Oct. 17, 1907 Los Angeles Mr. Woolin, left tackle of the USC team, took great exception to be tackled by one of the black players on the Whittier State team (one of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, African Americans, Sports, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Oct. 5, 1907: White Neighbors Fight Hilliard Stricklin’s Retirement Home for Blacks

Posted on October 5, 2018 by lmharnisch

Note: Here’s an entry I wrote in 2006 for the 1947project. I thought newer readers might enjoy it. Oct. 5, 1907 Los Angeles Hilliard Stricklin is a man with an urgent desire to do something for his fellow African Americans. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, African Americans | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Sept. 14, 1947: How Many HR Violations Can You Spot in One Ad?

Posted on September 14, 2018 by lmharnisch

Sept. 14, 1947: Let’s see. White couples or single women wanted. Age limit 55 years. No, we don’t do this anymore.

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Aug. 2, 1947: Los Angeles County Clerk Refuses Marriage License for Interracial Couple

Posted on August 2, 2018 by lmharnisch

  Note: This is an encore post from 2005 and originally appeared on the 1947project. Her name was Andrea and she was 24. His name was Sylvester and he was 26, a World War II veteran working at Lockheed. And … Continue reading →

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Black L.A. 1947: ‘Whites Only’ Jobs as Black Unemployment Rises

Posted on May 17, 2018 by lmharnisch

May 15, 1947: The Sentinel calls for a federal fair employment practices act. Below, racial preferences in classified ads in the Los Angeles Times.  

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Bill Would Bar Japanese From Owning Land

Posted on April 10, 2013 by lmharnisch

April 10, 1913: The Times seems to be featuring a woman artist, but it’s difficult to make out her elaborate signature. Is it N. Tanaga? V. Tanaga? V. Kanaga? Aha! she was Neva Kanaga. Further research indicates she was Neva … Continue reading →

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The comics

Posted on April 3, 2008 by lmharnisch

April 3, 1938 Big Chief Wahoo by John Saunders and Elmer Woggam, another excursion into ethnic humor with dialect and stereotypes…. In later years, the strip added an investigative reporter named Steve Roper. Authentic Native American humor: BIA stands for … Continue reading →

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March 28, 1908

Posted on March 28, 2008 by lmharnisch

Above, the circus is coming to town–apparently. I can’t find any further mentions of "Towle’s Circus." Below, Rep. J. Thomas Heflin hates African Americans and he hates drinking, so you can imagine how he feels about African Americans who drink … Continue reading →

Posted in @news, Countdown to Watts, Front Pages | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The comics

Posted on March 27, 2008 by lmharnisch

March 27, 1938Los Angeles I’m starting to think that no comic strip of the late 1930s was complete without a great white hunter contending with cowardly native tribesmen in "darkest Africa." This is Al Capp’s "Li’l Abner."  Email me

Posted in art and artists, Front Pages | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

What happened on Dunsmuir

Posted on July 20, 2007 by lmharnisch

These appear to be four rather ordinary West Adams district homes from the late 1920s and early ’30s and in many ways they are. Photographs by Larry Harnisch Los Angeles Times This is 2435 S. Dunsmuir Ave. This is 2308 … Continue reading →

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Countdown to Watts

Posted on July 17, 2007 by lmharnisch

  July 17, 1957 Los Angeles The painful comparison: "800 Negroes Lose Jobs"  and "Deep South Editors Here, See Race Tension Ending." And to make things even worse, the Southern editors were entirely well-meaning and sincere. The Mirror interviewed editors … Continue reading →

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Paul V. Coates–Confidential File

Posted on July 10, 2007 by lmharnisch

July 10, 1957 Since my boyhood days in the wheat fields of Manhattan I have steadfastly held Hollywood in veneration. I feigned interest in Lou Gehrig and Carl Hubbell and Hank Greenberg and the rest of their sweaty ilk to … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Paul Coates | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment