The Gladys A. papers contain diaries of Gladys A., a young woman who participated in sex work in and around Downtown Los Angeles. The diaries span from the day she arrived in LA in January of 1949 through 1953, detailing the daily experiences of her first five years in the city. The collection also includes photographs of Gladys with unidentified individuals, correspondence from her family in Michigan, memorabilia from her Catholic high school, and other miscellaneous personal items.

Gladys A. came to Los Angeles in 1949 from Saginaw, Michigan with very little money. To support herself she immediately began engaging in sexual relationships with men she met in exchange for money, meals, gifts, and amusements. Gladys A. also occasionally worked in diners and bars in and around downtown. She kept a diary of her daily activities detailing her experiences as a young woman and a sex worker in Los Angeles in the 1950s.

1.31 Linear Feet (3 containers)

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