South L.A. just became a Black cultural district. So where should its monument stand?

"Now, the region's legacy is receiving formal recognition as a Black cultural district, a landmark move that aims to preserve South L.A.'s rich history and stimulate economic growth. State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles), who led the effort, helped secure $5.5 million in state funding to support the project, and last December the state agency California Arts Council voted unanimously to approve the designation."

"Prior to this vote, there were no state designations that recognized the Black community - a realization that made Smallwood-Cuevas jump into action. "It was very frustrating for me to learn that Black culture was not included," said Smallwood-Cuevas, who represents South L.A. Other cultural districts include L.A.'s Little Tokyo and San Diego's Barrio Logan Cultural District, which is rooted in Chicano history."

South Los Angeles has been a center for Black art, activism, and commerce for over a century, from Central Avenue jazz in the 1920s to recent projects like Destination Crenshaw. The area received formal recognition as the Historic South Los Angeles Black Cultural District, one of 24 state-designated cultural districts, after the California Arts Council unanimously approved the designation. State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas secured $5.5 million in state funding and led the effort alongside LA Commons. The designation aims to preserve Black cultural history, serve as an anti-displacement strategy amid demographic change, and stimulate economic growth through recognition and support.

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