Collection of approximately 800 digitized photographs and other items collected by Walter L. Gordon, Jr. and given to William C. Beverly, Jr., who donated the collection to UCLA. Collection includes photos given to Walter by his former boss, Charlotta Bass, publisher of the California Eagle, as well as other photos he collected. Photos largely depict African American social life and family life in 1940s Los Angeles and feature celebrities, athletes, politicians, lawyers, and other notable people of the era.

The approximately 800 photographs in this collection represent the lifelong interest of Los Angeles African American attorney, Walter L. Gordon, in documenting little known aspects of African American history and culture through the first half the 20th century. Los Angeles and the legal profession were plagued by racial discrimination, but these photographs display a range of people, places and institutions who successfully defied society's limited expectations.

2.5 Linear Feet (5 boxes and 3 oversized flat boxes)

Property rights to the objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other 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.

Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.