About This Online Exhibit
The interviews in this project were all conducted by Yolanda Hester in her capacity as an interviewer for the UCLA Library Center for Oral History Research. She also designed and curated the website, conducting background research and selecting photos; identifying and editing audio clips; and composing the text.
Caroline Cubé, the digital resources specialist in UCLA Library Special Collections, provided technical support. In that capacity, she offered expert advice, did troubleshooting, and coaxed the website into a functional and aesthetically pleasing result.
Teresa Barnett, head of the UCLA Library Center for Oral History Research, did final editing and proofing of the text.
This website was born from the UCLA Library Center for Oral History Research series "'Where Do We Go from Here?' Histories of Long-term Black Business Ownership, Community, and Family in Los Angeles County." This series documents long-term and multigenerational business ownership in the black community through oral history interviews with owners of businesses located in Los Angeles County. The title is inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr.'s last book, Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos or Community, which focused on economic issues, including issues related to black-owned businesses.
Businesses were chosen to participate in the series based on two criteria: that the business had been in operation for at least twenty-five years and that it was currently active at the time of the interview. An effort was also made to ensure that the businesses selected represented a variety of sizes and industries. They range from small, local businesses with only a couple of employees to enterprises that have a regional and even national reach, and the industries represented include construction, real estate, insurance, communications, dry cleaning, restaurants and catering, mortuaries, barbershops, and stove repair. Due to limited resources and time constraints, the interviews focused primarily on businesses in the Pasadena area and in South Los Angeles, with selected businesses in Hollywood, Gardena, and downtown Los Angeles as well. South Los Angeles remains one of the most important centers of black economic activity in the region, and the Pasadena area has historically been a final stop for many blacks who migrated to Southern California. It is also important to note that although the series focused mostly on these two areas, the reach and customer base of these businesses span well beyond their local communities.
The first section of each oral history covers the individual’s family and migration history. The second and third sections then examine each business from two perspectives: (1) the day-to-day functioning of the business, i.e., staffing, profit and losses, marketing, etc., and (2) broader businesses strategies, including responses to policy changes, technological development, demographic shifts, and changes in the economy.