Guide to the Harold Hambrick Photograph and Video Collection
Special Collections & Archives
University Library
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8326
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives
Title: Harold Hambrick Photograph and Video Collection
Identifier/Call Number: TBC.HHC
Physical Description:
.5 linear feet linear feet
Physical Description:
206 Gigabytes
Date (inclusive): 1966-2005
Abstract: The Harold Hambrick
Photograph and Video Collection is a small collection of photographs and videos that largely
document the Watts and the South Los Angeles area within the time period of 1966 to
2005, and primarily the 1990s and 2000s. Harold Hambrick was an African American businessman
and active community member in Watts and surrounding areas. For over 40 years he held many
roles at the Watts Health Foundation (WHF), and in the late 1990s he became President of the
Los Angeles Black Business Expo (BBX), which surged in attendance during his tenure.
Significant subjects and organizations featured in this collection are the community and
history of Watts (including the 1992 L.A. Uprising) and the Watts Health Foundation (Watts
Health Center or Watts Healthcare Corporation).
Language of Material:
English
Biographical / Historical
Harold Hambrick, Jr. was born in 1943 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and grew up in the small
town of Slidell. His father, Harold Hambrick, Sr., owned a funeral home. At St. Tammany High
School (a segregated school), Hambrick excelled at his studies and in 1961 became President,
Salutatorian, as well as star quarterback. That same year, he moved to Los Angeles and
attended Woodbury Institute, Los Angeles City College, and UCLA. He later graduated from
Pepperdine University with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. Early on,
Hambrick showed an interest in community service. While joining the Victory Baptist Church,
Hambrick was exposed to the civil rights movement and was present for the visit of Martin
Luther King, Sr. and Jr. to their church. Later, Hambrick co-founded the Greater Liberty
Baptist Church and the Band of Men associated with the Ward A.M.E. Church. His first jobs in
Los Angeles included voter registration, Controller at Jefferson High School, and
administrative intern at IBM.
In 1967, he joined the South Central Multi Purpose Health Service Center, which later
became Watts Health Foundation (WHF). While at WHF for over 40 years, he served in several
capacities in advocacy for healthcare access for residents of low-income communities. In the
position of Vice President of Public Affairs, he traveled locally and nationally to address
governmental agencies and legislative bodies regarding the plight of the underserved. For
over 30 years, he also owned an income tax service in the Crenshaw district.
In the community health network, he was active in the California Black Health Network, the
Community Advisory Council at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, the
Western Association of Community Health Centers, the California Community Health Institute,
the Health Care Coalition for the Truly Needy, and the National Association of HMOs. As an
active Watts community member, he strongly promoted such local festivals and events as the
Watts Summer Festival, the Watts Martin Luther King Breakfast, and the Watts 3rd World Arts
Festival. He served as President of the Watts United Credit Union and was instrumental in
the rebirth of the Watts Neighborhood Center (Mafundi Institute) and the Watts Coffee House.
Other community support outside of Watts include his co-founding of the Louisiana to Los
Angeles Organizing Committee Inc. (LALA) in 1988.
In the 1990s, Hambrick became President of the Los Angeles Black Business Expo (BBX), the
country's second largest African American-focused consumer show and the first Black consumer
show held at Tom Bradley Hall in the Los Angeles Convention Center. He presented the history
and accomplishments of the community's Black-owned businesses, and he prioritized attendance
of young adults to expose them to entrepreneurship. He also offered workshops at the Tom
Bradley Business Institute and the Youth Summit.
Hambrick and his wife, Marguerett, had three children. He died from a heart attack in
2014.
Scope and Contents
The Harold Hambrick Photograph and Video Collection consists of photographs and videos
spanning the time period from 1966 to 2005, with most items created between 1990 to the
early 2000s. The images include Jesse Jackson speaking, a church service, and the 1992 Los
Angeles Uprising following the Rodney King beating. There are prints and negatives. The
video footage documents presentations, cultural events, interviews, and local businesses in
or around South Los Angeles, and includes such subjects as the city of Watts, South Los
Angeles, healthcare, the 1992 L.A. Uprising, racism, the arts, and entrepreneurship. The
video footage was digitized from videocassette tapes. Active Watts community members, Watts
history, the Watts Health Foundation, and South Los Angeles festivals are prominently
featured in this collection. The collection is arranged into folders in chronological
order.
Related Materials
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge.
Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials
protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires
the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any
use rests exclusively with the user.
Preferred Citation
For information about citing items in this collection, consult the appropriate style
manual, or see the
Citing Archival Materials
guide.
Processing Information
Elizabeth Peattie, 2022
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Photographs
Audiovisual materials
Digital Folder
Angry Voices of Watts and
Great Great Great Grandparents' Music,
1966, 1998
Digital Folder
Watts… the Hub and
Remnants from the Watts Festival,
1980-1985
Box 1, Folder 1
Jackson, Jesse,
ca. 1980-1995
Digital Folder
19th Watts Towers Festival and Mayor Tom Bradley Tours Watts,
1985
Digital Folder
Dedication, United Health Plan Medical Center, Huntington Park, and Interviews
with Board Chairman Frank Sotello and Vincent Bonilla,
1985, 1986
Digital Folder
Fernandez, Gilbert of the Watts Health Foundation interviews author Mary Ellen
Ray about her book
The City of Watts, California, 1907 to
1926
,
1985 August 5
Digital Folder
Watts Goes to Washington [Watts Health
Foundation interviews Congressmen Augustus Hawkins, Congressman Henry Waxman,
Congressman Jim Bates, Congressman Mervyn Dymally, Congressman Edward Roybal, and
Senator Orrin Hatch],
1986 March 3
Digital Folder
News Coverage, the Watts 3rd World Arts Festival [local news segments including
interviews with Dr. Clyde Oden, Michael Horse, and Tina Allen],
1991
Digital Folder
Watts Health Foundation celebration, Mayor Tom Bradley visits Watts Health
Foundation, and Watts Tower Festival,
1991
Digital Folder
News Coverage, the Watts 3rd World Arts Festival and the Watts Health
Foundation 25th Anniversary [seven local news segments including interviews with Harold
Hambrick, Dr. Clyde Oden, and Yreina Cervantez],
1991, 1992
Digital Folder
Promo, the Watts 3rd World Arts Festival,
1991 October
5 and 1991 October 6
Box 1, Folder 3
The Los Angeles Uprising,
1992
Box 1, Folder 4
The Los Angeles Uprising,
1992
Digital Folder
LALA Louisiana to Los Angeles Parade and Festival,
1993-2003
Digital Folder
Jazz Concert with Horace Tapscott, 3205 W. 54th Street,
1993 February 28
Digital Folder
The Holy Hookup, Back to Back, Dr. Frank Reid
and Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., presented by First African Methodist Episcopal
Church,
1995 March 6
to 1995 March 8
Digital Folder
Watts Coffee House, Performances,
1997
Digital Folder
Big Chief Tootie Montana Interview, CBS News,
1997 April
Digital Folder
Watts Coffee House, Performances, Phyllis Battle, Paul Bryant,
Dante,
1997 September 28
Digital Folder
South Los Angeles [interviews with Los Angeles Black Business Expo and Trade
Show, Watts Labor Community Action Committee, African Marketplace and Cultural Faire,
Crenshaw Christian Center, Watts Health Systems, and other South Los Angeles
groups],
2000
Digital Folder
Upon the Shoulders of Our Ancestors [interviews
with Keith Black, Maulana Karenga, Marcus Garvey School, Sister Binta Kikelomo, Cecil
Ferguson of the Black Doll Show, Los Angeles Black Business Expo, Timothy Watkins of
Watts Labor Community Action Committee, James Howard Scott, Roderick Sykes of St. Elmo
Village, Mayor Richard Riordan, Akua Jitahadi & Janette Flint of Black Women for
Wellness, California Black Health Network, Reverend Thomas Kilgore Community Convention,
Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE)],
2000
Digital Folder
LALA Louisiana to Los Angeles Parade and Festival, Leimert Park,
2000
February 5 and 2000 February 6
Digital Folder
Soulsville [a celebration of Stax Records and
Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Memphis],
2003
Digital Folder
Slavery Apology, ABC News Nightline with Ted Koppel,
2003 December 3
Digital Folder
The Heroes of Watts [community members recall
the Watts Rebellion, with William Allen Young, Timothy Watkins, Edna Alewine, and
others],
2005 August 22
