Beschreibung:

Unmounted boudoir photograph showing African American men on a street corner. [Charles C. Pierce (1861-1946)]: [Los Angeles], [1888]. Pencil inscription on verso: "Old Quarter of Town." This 1888 photograph shows a group of seven African American men standing outside of the Magnolia Saloon in "Sonoratown" at the corner of New High and Marchessault Street, one of the oldest sections in Los Angeles. The city was experiencing rapid expansion and urbanization at this time, growing from 11,000 people in 1880 to 50,000 by 1890. During the same period, the African American population grew from just 100 to 1,250. A July 25, 1888 article in the Los Angeles Herald covered the opening of the Magnolia Saloon reporting, "this establishment is spick, span and new. Mr. Ellis Powell, lately of Pennsylvania, has fitted it up in sumptuous style." Charles C. Pierce was a pioneer photographer who was one of the many who came to Los Angeles during the period, arriving in 1886 from Chicago. He documented Southern California landscapes and the early development of Los Angeles. Condition: Very light wrinkles. Photograph is unmounted.