St. Elmo’s Village, an art center in the Mid-City area, was awarded historical-cultural monument status. (photo courtesy of Elizabeth Daniels/Getty)

A barber shop, a historic LGBTQ+ disco club and the home of Los Angeles’ first Black mayor are among six buildings that have received historic-cultural monument status as part of a project led by Getty and the city of Los Angeles’ Office of Historic Resources.

The designations are the result of the ongoing work of African American Historic Places, Los Angeles, launched by the city and Getty in 2022 to identify, protect and celebrate the city’s Black heritage. Each site represents a unique piece of Los Angeles’ Black history.  Designated sites include St. Elmo Village, the Tom and Ethel Bradley Residence, Jewel’s Catch One, StylesVille Barbershop & Beauty Salon, the California Eagle offices and New Bethel Baptist Church. Historic plaques were installed at some of the sites over the past few months, with celebrations to be held on Aug. 14 at the Tom and Ethel Bradley Residence, St. Elmo Village and Jewel’s Catch One. A celebration for StylesVille Barbershop & Beauty Salon will be announced at a later date.

“These historic buildings are not only markers of our history but remain vibrant social and cultural hubs for the African American community in Los Angeles, connecting the past with the present,” said Rita Cofield, associate project specialist at the Getty Conservation Institute and project leader of the AAHPLA project. “Their official landmark status ensures that these cherished spaces and their legacy endure, inspiring generations to come.”

To honor the historic-cultural monuments and help the public identify and celebrate them, a bronze plaque will be placed on the properties, identifying key information about the sites. Installing the plaques is another way the city publicly acknowledges the importance and contributions of the historic places. The public has an opportunity to interact with a piece of history they may not have previously known.

The AAHPLA project’s kickoff event was held at St. Elmo Village in 2023, where Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in conversation with his longtime business partner and friend Deborah Morales, encouraged attendees to raise awareness about overlooked narratives of Black history.

An advisory committee comprised of civic, community and cultural leaders selected each site from the existing African American History of L.A. context document based on theme, geographic location and gender diversity that reflect various aspects of African American heritage throughout the city of Los Angeles. Sites went before the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission for nomination and were approved by the full City Council in 2024 and 2025.

“The adoption of these historic designations represents an exciting first step of the African American Historic Places, Los Angeles partnership between the city and Getty,” said Ken Bernstein, principal city planner for Los Angeles City Planning’s Office of Historic Resources. “Each of these six sites are not only significant places of history and meaning individually, but collectively they also encapsulate broader themes that give our communities insight into the rich and layered story of African Americans in Los Angeles.”

For information, visit getty.edu.