The Eaton Fire in Altadena not only destroyed homes but also erased family photos, heirlooms, and community history. The Altadena Historical Society, led by Veronica Jones, is dedicated to documenting the history of fire survivors. Volunteers aim to capture stories, particularly from Black families impacted by racist housing policies. They emphasize the urgency of their work to preserve memories and communal knowledge, recognizing that understanding the past is crucial for the future of the community.
"This building holds the history of Altadena. We have been archiving for 90 years," said Jones, president of the Altadena Historical Society and a resident for more than 60 years.
"Now there's an urgency to document everything, to get the history of the fire, to get the history that we didn't have before, to find ways to capture those photographs that may have burned."
"If you're going to have roots here and stay here, you need to know how this town came about," Jones said.
"That specific history - of racist housing policies that concentrated Black families in west Altadena - became a national story when the Eaton Fire disproportionately affected that part of the community."
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