Description
Records of the Southern California section of the Federal Writers' Project, including writing and research for the WPA Guide
to California, the Los Angeles guide, the local history research material (never published), art object inventory, records
of personnel, war and civilian defense material, and administrative documents. The bulk of material focuses on Guide Book
research and material for Los Angeles and other Southern California regions.
Background
The Federal Writers' Project began in 1935 under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal program, as part of the Works
Progress Administration. Employing writers, researchers, editors, historians, and other field workers, FWP is best known for
compiling the American Guide Series books that detailed the histories of each state. This collection is from the Southern
California branch of the FWP and contains essays and research relating to city and county government, social and cultural
institutions, commerce and industry, arts and culture, sports and recreation, local history and folklore, war and civilian
defense, and municipalities and cities, as well as numerous other subjects used toward FWP assignments. The program ended
in 1943 after state and federal sponsorship halted.
Extent
206 document boxes (103 linear ft.)
1 oversized box (1 linear ft.)
1 flat box (.5 linear ft.)
1 oversized folder (3 linear ft.)
Restrictions
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library,
Department of Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of
the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the
copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC
Regents do not hold the copyright.
Availability
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.