Known as "the Jewel of Central Avenue," the Dunbar Hotel holds a special place in Los Angeles history as the first hotel built expressly by and for Black people. While the hotel is most famous for housing greats such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, W.E.B. DuBois, and Duke Ellington, the Angelenos behind its construction, John A. Somerville and Vada Watson Somerville, have a...
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Community Crowd Sourcing for the Rolland J. Curtis Collection
Rolland J. Curtis needs your help—well, ok. Maybe photographer Rolland J. Curtis does not need your help, but the library certainly does!
Let me set the scene for you:
Chinese Paper Cutting
The roots of Chinese paper cutting as an art form may date back to the time when paper was invented by Cai Lun of the Eastern Han Dynasty in China. This art form became popular as paper became more affordable. Traditionally, the paper cuts have been used to decorate windows and doors.
What’s in a Name? A Century of Asian Pacific American History: 1900-1990
Imagine waking up on a remote island one fine morning and deciding to travel to Asia. Which direction would you choose to go?
Interview With an Author: P. Djeli Clark
Born in New York and raised mostly in Houston, P. Djeli Clark spent the formative years of his life in the homeland of his parents, Trinidad and Tobago.
Mining Gold From The Music Stream: Minako Yoshida - Monochrome
Minako Yoshida is a prolific Japanese singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer who has released over 20 albums since her 1973 debut, Tobira No Fuyu.
Asian Pacific American Poets
One of the benefits of literature is that it allows the reader to empathize with the protagonists or—in the case of poets—with the themes and issues that concern them.
Interview With Zine Maker - Russell Quinn
Russell Quinn is an artist, designer, and programmer. He works independently as False Vacuum. Russell left the UK in 2005 and has lived in Denmark, Switzerland, and rural California. He is currently based in Los Angeles.
Interview With an Author: Emiko Jean
Emiko Jean is the author of Empress of All Seasons and We
Cat Burglars, Smash-and-Grabs, and Organized Crime: The Gardner and Other Notorious Art Thefts
In the wee hours of March 18, 1990, two thieves dressed as police officers entered the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, tied up the night security guards, and went from room to room looting paintings and other items.
21st Century Kids: Read Multigenerational Stories
During the past year we have all become deeply aware of the importance of family. Moreover, the love and caring of extended elder family members is beneficial during challenging times. These relationships with Grandparents, Aunts, and Uncles are, at times, complex.