Artists Hale Woodruff (L) and Charles Alston (R) at the Mission San Diego de Alcalá in San Diego. They were researching the mural for the new building of the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company.
Group gathered following the unveiling of the two murals titled “The Negro in California History” in the lobby of the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company’s new home office building (4261 S. Central Ave.). The murals were painted by artists Hale Woodruff and Charles Alston and installed on the lower walls of the Roman travertine against which the group is standing. Left to right: George Beavers, Jr., chairman of the board, Golden State Mutual; Charlotta Bass, Publisher of the California Eagle, pulled the cord to unveil the Charles Alston Mural; Norman O. Houston, President, Golden State Mutual; Gussie Woods, mother of Hale Woodruff, pulled the cord to unveil the Woodruff mural; and Titus Alexander, member of the California Historical Society who aided in the research upon which the murals are based.
Beckwourth Pass was discovered by James P. Beckwourth in 1850. Beckwourth developed Beckwourth Trail, traversing the pass, that was used by immigrants during the Gold Rush from 1851 to 1855. After that, the railroad came into use.
Conference with the artists of the mural titled “The Negro in California History” at Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company (home office building) left to right: Verna Hickman, Head of Public Relations Department, Golden State Mutual; Titus Alexander, historian, pioneer citizen of Los Angeles, and member mural research committee; Hale Woodruff, artist; George Beavers, Jr., chairman of board, Golden State Mutual; Norman O. Houston, president, Golden State Mutual; Miriam Matthews, librarian, Washington Irving Branch Library, Los Angeles, and member of mural research committee; Charles Alston, artist; Edgar Johnson, secretary, Golden State Mutual.
Charlotta Bass (2nd from left), Norman O. Houston (center) with two other men and another woman at the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance building, probably after its completion in 1949.
Artists Hale Woodruff and Charles Alston at Union Station upon their arrival in Los Angeles to research the murals that they had been commissioned to paint for the new Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company.
Board Chairman George A. Beavers, Jr.; President Norman O. Houston; Controller Helen E. Batiste and architect Paul R. Williams view "The Negro in California History - Exploration and Colonization" mural, by Charles Alston, on the floor at the new Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Co. home office building, just after the panel was unpacked. Williams was the architect of the new Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Co. building completed in 1949.
Beckwourth Pass was discovered by James P. Beckwourth in 1850. Beckwourth developed Beckwourth Trail, traversing the pass, that was used by immigrants during the Gold Rush from 1851 to 1855. After that, the railroad came into use.
Beckwourth Pass was discovered by James P. Beckwourth in 1850. Beckwourth developed Beckwourth Trail, traversing the pass, that was used by immigrants during the Gold Rush from 1851 to 1855. After that, the railroad came into use.