Central Avenue (Los Angeles) facts for kids
Central Avenue is a major street that runs north to south through the middle of the Los Angeles, California area. It starts near the Los Angeles Civic Center and goes all the way south to Carson.
As you travel along Central Avenue, you'll pass through many different parts of Los Angeles. These include Downtown Los Angeles, parts of South Los Angeles like Watts, Florence-Graham, and Willowbrook. It also goes through the cities of Compton and Carson.
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History of Central Avenue
Central Avenue has a rich history, especially for the African-American community in Los Angeles. For many years, it was a very important place.
A Hub for Music: Jazz and R&B
From about the 1920s to the mid-1950s, Central Avenue was the heart of the African-American community in Los Angeles. It was famous for its lively rhythm and blues and jazz music scenes. Many talented local musicians got their start here, including Eric Dolphy, Art Pepper, Chico Hamilton, Clora Bryant, and Charles Mingus.
Other famous jazz and R&B artists who played on Central Avenue included Benny Carter, Buddy Collette, Dexter Gordon, and Lionel Hampton. Even Charlie Parker played here for a short time! The famous musician Wynton Marsalis once said that Central Avenue was like the "52nd Street of Los Angeles," referring to a famous jazz street in New York City.
Even though Central Avenue isn't the same busy jazz center it once was, its musical past is still remembered. The Central Avenue Jazz Festival is held every year, and a few jazz clubs still keep the music alive.
The Cavalcade of Jazz Concerts
Leon Hefflin, Sr. created a huge outdoor jazz event called the "Cavalcade of Jazz." These concerts took place at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles from 1945 to 1958. Over 125 artists performed, and the concerts helped launch the careers of stars like Toni Harper and Dinah Washington. The first show in 1945 featured Count Basie and attracted 15,000 people!
Jefferson High School and Jazz
Jefferson High School, located near Central Avenue, played a big role in the jazz scene. In the 1930s, this school was in the middle of the jazz action. It had strong music classes, teaching students about music theory, harmony, and how to play in orchestras and bands.
Many of Central Avenue's best jazz and blues musicians graduated from Jefferson High. Famous alumni include Etta James, Big Jay McNeely, and Richard Berry. The school helped create a strong jazz culture in the area. It was so important that some people called the Central Avenue area "Little Harlem," comparing it to the famous African-American neighborhood in New York City.
Landmarks and Major Attractions
Central Avenue is home to many important and interesting places.
Little Tokyo and Historic Buildings
Near its northern end, Central Avenue goes through Little Tokyo. This is Los Angeles' oldest Japanese neighborhood and is now a historic district. You can find the former Hompa Hongwangi Buddhist Temple here, which is a historic landmark. Across the street is the Japanese American National Museum, and nearby is the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, a modern art museum.
Unique Architecture and Entertainment
In the 1200 block of Central Avenue, you can see the old Coca-Cola bottling plant. Built in the 1930s, it looks like an ocean liner with porthole windows!
At 2300 Central is the Lincoln Theatre. Opened in 1926, this theater was a top spot for African-American entertainment for many years.
The Historic Dunbar Hotel
At 4233 Central Avenue stands the Dunbar Hotel. Built in 1928, this hotel was a very special place. During a time when many hotels did not allow Black travelers, the Dunbar Hotel offered a stylish and comfortable place to stay. It attracted famous Black celebrities like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, and Billie Holiday. The Dunbar Hotel was also a central point for the Los Angeles jazz scene in the 1940s and 1950s.
Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Building
At 4261 Central Avenue is the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Building. Built in 1928, this was the main office for one of the most important African-American owned insurance companies in California.
Jefferson High School Today
Located just off Central Avenue, Thomas Jefferson High School continues to be an important part of the community. It's known for producing many jazz musicians and composers, more than any other high school west of the Mississippi River!
27th Street Bakery
On the corner of 27th Street and Central Avenue, you'll find the 27th Street Bakery. It's famous for its delicious sweet potato pie! The bakery started as a restaurant in the 1930s, serving African-American families who moved to the area. In 1956, it became a bakery. It's one of the few African-American owned businesses still on Central Avenue and has been run by the same family for three generations.
The bakery has adapted over the years. In the early 2000s, as more Latinos and Hispanics moved to the area, the bakery added items like concha (bread) (sweet bread) and empanadas to its menu. This shows how the bakery continues to be a core part of the changing community.
Central Avenue Jazz Festival
The Central Avenue Jazz Festival is a free music festival held every year in late July. It takes place along a part of Central Avenue that includes the Dunbar Hotel. The festival features jazz, blues, and Latin jazz music from both famous and new artists.
Transportation
You can travel along Central Avenue using the Metro Local: Line 53 bus service.
Books About Central Avenue
- Central Avenue Sounds: Jazz in Los Angeles (Roth Family Foundation Book in American Music), Clora Bryant et al., ISBN: 978-0-520-22098-0
- Central Avenue: Its Rise and Fall, 1890-C1955, Including the Musical Renaissance of Black LA, Bette Yarbrough Cox, ISBN: 978-0-9650783-1-3
- The Great Black Way: L.A.’s Central Avenue in the 1940s And the Rise of African-American Pop Culture, R.J. Smith, ISBN: 978-1-58648-295-4
- Upside Your Head! Rhythm and Blues on Central Avenue (Music/Culture), Johnny Otis, ISBN: 978-0-8195-6287-6
