This week, the Bradley Residence joined St. Elmo Village, a long-standing hub for Black artists and cultural life, and Jewel\u2019s Catch One, a storied nightclub in Arlington Heights that served as the safe space for Black and LGBTQ+ communities, as the newest Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments<\/a>.<\/p>\n Together, these three sites mark the first designations under the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative (AAHPLA), a partnership launched in 2022 between the Getty<\/a> and Los Angeles that aims to address a stark imbalance in the city\u2019s preservation record.<\/p>\n Los Angeles City Councilwoman Heather Hutt, who represents Council District 10, speaks during a plaque unveiling ceremony at the former residence of Tom and Ethel Bradley, part of a series honoring newly designated Historic-Cultural Monuments as part of the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Vince Bertoni, director of planning for the City of Los Angeles, speaks during a plaque unveiling ceremony at the former residence of Tom and Ethel Bradley, part of a series honoring newly designated Historic-Cultural Monuments through the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Lorraine Bradley, daughter of former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, speaks during a plaque unveiling ceremony at her family\u2019s former residence, the first of three newly designated Historic-Cultural Monuments recognized through the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Commissioner Gail Kennard speaks during a plaque unveiling ceremony at the former residence of Tom and Ethel Bradley, part of a series honoring newly designated Historic-Cultural Monuments through the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Toney Bradley, left, and Lorraine Bradley, daughters of former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, speak during a plaque unveiling ceremony at their family\u2019s former residence, one of three newly designated Historic-Cultural Monuments recognized through the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Rita Cofield, public historian and conservation architect, speaks during a plaque unveiling ceremony at the former residence of Tom and Ethel Bradley, part of a series recognizing newly designated Historic-Cultural Monuments through the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Jacqueline Sykes, chief administrator of St. Elmo Village, speaks before the unveiling of a plaque recognizing the cultural landmark\u2019s role in the late-20th century Black arts movement during a ceremony that was part of a series hosted by Los Angeles City Councilwoman Heather Hutt and the Getty through the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Jacqueline Sykes, chief administrator of St. Elmo Village, left, and Commissioner Gail Kennard speak after the unveiling of a plaque recognizing the site\u2019s role in the Black arts movement, during a ceremony that was part of the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Los Angeles City Councilwoman Heather Hutt speaks before the unveiling of a plaque at St. Elmo Village, a newly designated Historic-Cultural Monument recognized for its role in the Black arts movement, during a ceremony that was part of the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Los Angeles City Councilwoman Heather Hutt, left, and Jacqueline Sykes, chief administrator of St. Elmo Village, stand beside the newly unveiled plaque recognizing the site\u2019s role in the Black arts movement, during a ceremony that was part of the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Los Angeles City Councilwoman Heather Hutt and Mitch Edelson, owner of Jewel\u2019s Catch One, stand beside the newly unveiled plaque during a ceremony recognizing the historic nightclub as a designated Historic-Cultural Monument through the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Show Caption<\/p>\n 1 of 11<\/p>\n Los Angeles City Councilwoman Heather Hutt, who represents Council District 10, speaks during a plaque unveiling ceremony at the former residence of Tom and Ethel Bradley, part of a series honoring newly designated Historic-Cultural Monuments as part of the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n Expand<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cAs we unveil these plaques today, we\u2019re doing more than just honoring legacies\u2014we\u2019re cementing their story in the permanent record of our city,\u201d said Councilmember Heather Hutt, who represents Council District 10, where all three sites are located, during the Aug. 14 plaque unveiling ceremonies.<\/p>\n She added: \u201cWe live in a time where accurate depictions of our history are often under threat, where important stories can be overlooked or even erased. Today, we take a stand against that. We are making a promise to future generations that this legacy of unity, service, and courage will not be forgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a closer look at the three new landmarks:<\/p>\n Bradley Residence (3807 Welland Avenue) <\/strong><\/p>\n In 1950, Tom and Ethel Bradley purchased this modest Leimert Park home despite racially restrictive covenants meant to keep Black families out. Built in 1940, it became the base for Bradley\u2019s groundbreaking political career \u2014 from serving on the City Council to becoming Los Angeles\u2019s first Black mayor and holding the office for 20 years, the longest in city history. Ethel, the city\u2019s first Black First Lady, was a community leader in her own right.<\/p>\n The former residence of Tom and Ethel Bradley is seen during a plaque unveiling ceremony honoring the long-time home of the five-term Los Angeles mayor and first lady. The event marked the first of three ceremonies hosted by Councilwoman Heather Hutt and the Getty as part of the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n A plaque honoring the former residence of Tom and Ethel Bradley is seen following its unveiling as a newly designated Historic-Cultural Monument during a ceremony hosted by Councilwoman Heather Hutt and the Getty, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Show Caption<\/p>\n 1 of 2<\/p>\n The former residence of Tom and Ethel Bradley is seen during a plaque unveiling ceremony honoring the long-time home of the five-term Los Angeles mayor and first lady. The event marked the first of three ceremonies hosted by Councilwoman Heather Hutt and the Getty as part of the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n Expand<\/a><\/p>\n St. Elmo Village (4820-4846 W. St. Elmo Drive) <\/strong><\/p>\n Founded in 1969 by artists Roderick and Rozzell Sykes, this vibrant Mid-City enclave of bungalows and gardens became a hub for the Black Cultural Arts Movement and later an incubator for activism, including the early days of Black Lives Matter. Now run by Jacqueline Alexander-Sykes, it continues to host workshops, festivals and youth programs.<\/p>\n Jacqueline Sykes, chief administrator of St. Elmo Village, stands beside the newly unveiled plaque recognizing the site\u2019s role in the Black arts movement, during a ceremony that was part of the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Guests mingle following the plaque unveiling ceremony at St. Elmo Village, one of three newly designated Historic-Cultural Monuments honored as part of the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n A plaque recognizing St. Elmo Village as a newly designated Historic-Cultural Monument is seen following its unveiling during a ceremony that was part of the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Show Caption<\/p>\n 1 of 3<\/p>\n Jacqueline Sykes, chief administrator of St. Elmo Village, stands beside the newly unveiled plaque recognizing the site\u2019s role in the Black arts movement, during a ceremony that was part of the African American Historic Places Los Angeles initiative, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n Expand<\/a><\/p>\n Jewel\u2019s Catch One (4061 W. Pico Boulevard)<\/strong><\/p>\n Opened in 1973 by Jewel Thais-Williams, this was one of the first Los Angeles nightclubs to welcome LGBTQ+ people of color and the first African American female-owned disco in the city. A safe space for nightlife and activism, it also hosted benefits during the HIV\/AIDS crisis. Thais-Williams, who died in July 2025, saw its designation finalized before her passing.<\/p>\n The exterior of Jewel\u2019s Catch One, a newly designated Historic-Cultural Monument, is seen following a plaque unveiling ceremony recognizing the nightclub\u2019s historic role in Los Angeles. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The exterior of Jewel\u2019s Catch One, a newly designated Historic-Cultural Monument, is seen following a plaque unveiling ceremony recognizing the nightclub\u2019s historic role in Los Angeles. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Mitch Edelson, owner of Jewel\u2019s Catch One, is seen during a tour of the historic nightclub, with the original Catch One Nightclub neon sign glowing in the background. The venue, founded in 1973 by Jewel Thais-Williams, was a pioneering space for the Black LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The former living quarters of Jewel Thais-Williams are seen inside Jewel\u2019s Catch One. Thais-Williams, who founded the nightclub in 1973, maintained an apartment in the building while it operated as a landmark venue for the Black LGBTQ+ community. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n One of the dance floors inside Jewel\u2019s Catch One is seen with a disco ball overhead. The historic nightclub, founded in 1973 by Jewel Thais-Williams, served as a cultural landmark for the Black LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n A plaque recognizing Jewel\u2019s Catch One as a newly designated Historic-Cultural Monument is seen following its unveiling. The marker highlights the club\u2019s status as the first African American female-owned disco in Los Angeles and one of the first gay nightclubs to welcome LGBTQ people of color since 1973. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Show Caption<\/p>\n 1 of 6<\/p>\n The exterior of Jewel\u2019s Catch One, a newly designated Historic-Cultural Monument, is seen following a plaque unveiling ceremony recognizing the nightclub\u2019s historic role in Los Angeles. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n Expand<\/a><\/p>\n The designations mark a milestone for a city where, preservationists say, Black history<\/a> has too often been underrepresented in official records.<\/p>\n \u201cThis work came about because people were talking about globally, issues of inequity, and there\u2019s inequity in every facet, including the preservation world,\u201d said Rita Cofield, associate project specialist at the Getty Conservation Institute and AAHPLA project leader.<\/p>\n As of January, just over 4% of Los Angeles\u2019 roughly 1,300 locally designated landmarks are tied to African American history, according to the AAHPLA initiative.<\/p>\n The project\u2019s leaders said that number speaks to a preservation system that has long overlooked important places tied to Black life in the city.<\/p>\n One of the biggest obstacles, Cofield said, is that historic landmark programs have often favored grand architecture or sites linked to nationally famous figures \u2014 criteria that tend to center white, wealthier histories. Many African American landmarks, by contrast, may be unassuming in appearance but rich in cultural and social meaning.<\/p>\n \u201cLike the modest house of the Bradley family,\u201d she said. \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t know that they had to break barriers to live there.\u201d<\/p>\n Donna Brooks, niece of former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, holds a photo of herself standing in front of the same house in 1952, when she was 3 years old, during a plaque unveiling ceremony at the former Bradley residence on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Toney Bradley, left, unveils a plaque honoring the former residence of her parents, Tom and Ethel Bradley, during a ceremony recognizing the home as a newly designated Historic-Cultural Monument. She is joined by Los Angeles City Councilwoman Heather Hutt, center, and her sister Lorraine Bradley, right, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Show Caption<\/p>\n 1 of 2<\/p>\n Donna Brooks, niece of former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, holds a photo of herself standing in front of the same house in 1952, when she was 3 years old, during a plaque unveiling ceremony at the former Bradley residence on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mark Savage, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n Expand<\/a><\/p>\n The AAHPLA initiative builds on a Getty-City of Los Angeles partnership launched in 2005, which produced SurveyLA, the city\u2019s first comprehensive historic resource survey, and a 2018 context statement on African American history.<\/p>\n That work took on new urgency in 2020, amid a national reckoning over racial injustice after George Floyd<\/a>\u2019s death, when Getty convened national thought leaders to explore how preservation policy could better reflect underrepresented histories.<\/p>\n That national conversation pushed preservationists in Los Angeles to think bigger: how could the city\u2019s African American history be made visible, not just remembered in archives? For Cofield, that means ensuring the stories are anchored in real places people can see, touch and walk past every day.<\/p>\n She said there\u2019s something powerful about walking past a site marked with a plaque that shows it was recognized and supported by the community, its stewards and the City Council. \u201cThat\u2019s pretty powerful if you ask me,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n
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