African American Collections

Materials relating to Millender-McDonald's service as a member of the US House of Representatives. Topics include Congressional Black Caucus, Transportation Infrastructure Committee, the Congressional Caucus on Women's issues, California Assembly and House Administration.

Documents related to the history and controversy of the Pasadena School Board regarding school desegregation and bussing of minority students.

Materials and rare books related to Alfred and Bernice Ligon as the proprietors and founders of The Aquarian Bookshop and Aquarian Spiritual Center in Los Angeles, CA.

Material and rare books related to Dadisi Sanyika and his interests in African American history and culture, African drumming and dance, and the study of astrology, metaphysics, occultism, black gnostic studies, and Perma Culture.

News clippings, histories, flyers, newsletters, minutes, correspondence, programs, yearbooks, municipal papers, and histories related to or about the city of Compton. Subjects include commerce, education, private residences, historic preservation, city anniversaries, and natural disasters.

Compiled primary source accounts of mob violence (lynchings and murder) of “Whites” and “Blacks” in the United States from the 1840s to 1890s. Intended as the basis of a manuscript, the material was researched and compiled by Glen Schwendemann.

Campaign materials relating to the election of Wilson C. Riles, the first African American elected to statewide office in California, and the first African American to be elected in the nation, to the role of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Browse digitized materials.

Black Panther was a weekly newspaper published by the Black Panther Party from 1969-1980. The Political Newspaper Collection includes issues published between 1968 and 1971, though the bulk of the collection comes from late 1969 through 1970. Also includes books and leaflets published and distributed by the Black Panther Party, including writings by Eldridge Cleaver and a biography of Huey P. Newton.

The Watts Labor Community Action Committee formed in 1965 prior to the Los Angeles (Watts) Riots of 1965. In this collection are organizational documents, reports, program reports, program proposals, interoffice memoranda, correspondence, conference materials, publications, ephemera, and photographs. Browse digitized materials.