Photos, Mementos Sought for Central Avenue Exhibit

In an attempt to rediscover the history of Central Avenue during the decades between 1920 and 1960, an economic development group is seeking photographs, letters and other personal items from that period to include in a special exhibit.

The Dunbar Economic Development Corp. has joined the Getty Research Institute and USC to build the archive of historical documents.

The collection will be part of the Vernon Central Community History Exhibit and is scheduled to be on display in November at the Dunbar Hotel, 4225 S. Central Avenue.

“We really want to show how self-sufficient the community was in respect to civic associations and civil rights organizations that very much thrived here in the ‘20s to the ‘50s,” said Michael Betz, project manager assistant.

The items collected will go into a permanent archive or will be documented and returned to the owner, Betz said.

To spread the word and promote the exhibit, the organizers are sponsoring a jazz concert and discussion May 10 at the hotel. Author Walter Moseley, who wrote “Devil in a Blue Dress,” and Carl Franklin, who directed the film version of Moseley’s detective novel--much of it set on Central Avenue--will lead the discussion.

Information: (213) 234-7882.