Newspaper gathering, Los Angeles 1940s

Item Overview

Title

Newspaper gathering, Los Angeles 1940s

Date Created

[1940?s]

Date

1940/1949

Language

No linguistic content

Collection

Walter L. Gordon, Jr./William C. Beverly, Jr. Collection

Notes

Summary

Louis "Louie" V. Cole began his career as a newspaper reporter for the Sentinel and became a civic leader of South Central Los Angeles. He dubbed himself the "Mayor of Central Avenue."
Herman Hill was a journalist and also the first African American to play varsity basketball at USC.
Eddie Burbridge was a journalist, and served as the Sports Editor for the California Eagle before becoming the Theatrical Editor for the Los Angeles Sentinel.
Halley (sometimes spelled Hally) Harding was one of the original members of the Savoy Big Five, a precursor to the Harlem Globetrotters. At one point he was a aide to Walter Gordon, Jr. He later became a sportswriter for the Los Angeles Tribune. Along with other African American journalists, he led pickets against all-white baseball teams such as the Los Angeles Angels. When the Rams moved to Los Angeles, they applied to lease the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Harding made a moving speech at the Coliseum Commission's hearing, arguing that since black tax dollars helped build and maintain the Coliseum, none of its tenants should be allowed to discriminate. He also summarized the contributions of black athletes who had played in the NFL before an unwritten color ban was instituted in 1933, and spoke of the sacrifices of African American soldiers in World War II. Rams General Manager Charles Walsh met with Harding a week after that meeting, at the Last Word, a club on Central Avenue. Harding brought with him influential editors from all three major black weekly papers: the Los Angeles Sentinel, the California Eagle, and the Los Angeles Tribune. Harding's efforts played a key role in the Rams' later decision to sign the black football players Kenny Washington and Woody Strode.
Lawrence F. LaMar was a film critic who was published in several newspapers including the Los Angeles Sentinel, the California Eagle and the Los Angeles Times. He had a column titled Through the Keyhole, and he is quoted in several publications on film.
Bessie M. Gant was a columnist from the Pittsburgh Courier.
Leon Washington, Jr. was the founder and publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel.
Paul McGee was a Los Angeles Sentinel columnist.
Leon Hardwick started his career at the newspaper The Call and went on to work as a public relations expert.

Description

All information concerning the content and description of the image was provided by Walter Gordon.
Standing at the far left is Halley Harding. Also standing (R to L) are Eddie Burbridge, Lawrence LaMar, Louie Cole, a man identified as one of the Irving Brothers (publishers of the Neighborhood News), and Leon Washington. Seated (R to L) are Paul McGee, Leon Hardwick, and Dorothy Height (Mr. Gordon identified the woman as Dorothy Height, but she might be journalist Bessie Gant). The man seat 4th from the left is Herman Hill. The others in the photograph are unidentified.

Physical Description

Extent

1 photograph : b&w

Keywords

Genre

Black-and-white photographs

Names

Hardwick, Leon
LaMar, Lawrence F,. 1898-1973
Gant, Bess M., 1896-1962
McGee, Paul, 1906-1968
Burbridge, Edward Dejoie, Sr., 1902-1975
Harding, Halley, 1904-1967
Washington, Leon H., Jr. (Leon Harold), 1907-1974
Hill, Herman, 1906-1991
Height, Dorothy I. (Dorothy Irene), 1912-2010
Cole, Louis V., 1901-1974

Location

California--Los Angeles

Resource type

still image

Subjects

African American newspaper editors--California--Los Angeles
African American journalists