Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

L.A. Race Woman: Charlotta Bass And The Complexities Of Black Political Development In Los Angeles, Regina Freer

Regina Freer

Using her platform as owner and editor of Los Angeles's prominent black newspaper the California Eagle from 1912-1951, L.A. race woman Charlotta Bass was at the center of black political life of the city. This article examines her life and political activism as they offer a lens into the history of black community response to the particular demography, geography, politics and economics of Los Angeles and African American's expectations of what life should be like in the city. While black Angelenos confronted pitched job market competition and familiar white resistance to black advancement, blacks in L.A. did experience a form …