Daytime

Event Type
Culture & Community
Event Department
Cultural Affairs
Description

The Intra-American Slave Trade Database is a resource for the study of the African diaspora in the Americas. Launched online in 2018, it documents more than 27,000 voyages that trafficked enslaved Africans and African-descended people from one part of the Americas to another from 1550 to 1860. This database strengthens research throughout the University of California system on the history and impact of the slave trade and slavery in the Americas by connecting scholarship on the Atlantic and Pacific Worlds.

Event Date
Event Location

Online
Online
Online, CA
United States

Event Lat/Long
40.7136487, -74.0087126
Fee Required
No
Event Cost
Free
Event ID
10350266
Event Main Image
Event Type
Culture & Community
Event Department
Cultural Affairs
Description

America’s suburbs are undergoing significant transformation. The traditional view of suburbs as predominantly white, middle-class areas no longer reflects reality. Today, they encompass a diverse mix of residents—rich and poor, Black, Latino, Asian, immigrants, and the unhoused. This shift is especially evident in Los Angeles, where many suburbs have become majority-minority. The New Suburbia explores the experiences of Asian Americans, Black Americans, and Latinos who moved into formerly exclusive neighborhoods.

Event Date
Event Location

Online from the Los Angeles City Historical Society
P.O. Box 862311
Los Angeles, 90086-2311
United States

Event Lat/Long
34.06, -118.24
Fee Required
No
Event Cost
Free
Event ID
10350384
Event Main Image
Event Type
Culture & Community
Film
Event Department
Cultural Affairs
Description

In 1759, the Diamond sailed to unspecified ports in the Americas, Jamaica, Panama, Colombia, and more unspecified destinations in what was then known as the Spanish Caribbean, embarking and disembarking human cargo as part of the slave trade. The Diamond serves as an entry point into a discussion of the movement of Africans and African-descended captives to the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea-bordered regions, the ocean memory of those human cargo lost to the voyages through the Americas, and how that loss reverberates into the present.

Event Date
Event Location

Online at the University of California, Irvine
4100 Humanities Gateway
Irvine, 92697
United States

Event Lat/Long
33.6482265, -117.8444304
Fee Required
No
Event Cost
Free
Contact Phone
949.824.1662
Event ID
10350808
Event Main Image
Event Type
Culture & Community
Family Activity
Film
Music
Event Department
Cultural Affairs
Description

Stream films on Kanopy or Hoopla, both on-demand streaming film services. They both have an extensive library of African American cinema and documentaries that are free with your Los Angeles City or Los Angeles County library card.

 

 

kanopy.com/en/category/40898?frontend=kui

 hoopladigital.com

Event Date
Event Location

Online with the Library
Los Angeles
United States

Event Lat/Long
34.0549076, -118.242643
Fee Required
No
Event Cost
Free
Event ID
10352559
Event Main Image
Event Type
Culture & Community
Family Activity
Music
Event Department
Cultural Affairs
Description

The Los Angeles Public Library and the Los Angeles County Library cards give you access to many resources, including two amazing online music collections. Freegal features unlimited songs, and Hoopla lets you check out full albums. These two databases have endless amounts of music from the African and African American diaspora to explore, from famous hits to underground sounds.

 

hoopladigital.com/search?q=African+American+music&scope=everything&type=direct&kindId=6

freegalmusic.com

Event Date
Event Location

Online with the Library
Los Angeles
United States

Event Lat/Long
34.0549076, -118.242643
Fee Required
No
Event Cost
Free
Event ID
10354936
Event Main Image
Event Type
Culture & Community
Event Department
Cultural Affairs
Description

This in-person workshop will guide you through the Tenant Power Toolkit, an online resource that helps tenants create an answer (a legal response to their case) that raises the defenses they might have against the eviction. All attendees must bring their Summons and Complaint-Unlawful Detainer to the workshop. Tenants can get one-on-one assistance in both English and Spanish.

Event Date
-
Event Location

Vernon – Leon H. Washington Jr. Memorial Branch Library
4504 S. Central Ave.
Los Angeles, 90011
United States

Event Lat/Long
34.002617, -118.2561087
Fee Required
No
Event Cost
Free
Contact Phone
323.234.9106
Event ID
10349493
Event Main Image
Event Type
Culture & Community
Family Activity
Event Department
Cultural Affairs
Description

Special guest Ciji Davis will be our slime guru. You will be able to create gooey amazingness.

Event Date
-
Event Location

Alma Reaves Woods – Watts Branch Library
10205 Compton Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90002
United States

Event Lat/Long
33.9440108, -118.2465966
Fee Required
No
Event Cost
Free
Contact Phone
323.789.2850
Event ID
140524
Event Main Image
Event Type
Culture & Community
Family Activity
Event Department
Cultural Affairs
Description

This December, the William Grant Still Arts Center proudly presents its 44th Annual Black Doll Show, titled “in need of good folk… ‘MAGIC FOLK LIKE US’,” curated by the visionary Aiysha Sinclair. This year’s theme invites visitors to journey through a magical world where Black folklore and fairytales are celebrated, woven together through the power of storytelling and art. The show is an homage to the oral tradition and its limitless possibilities, seen through the lens of Black artists and doll makers.

Several artists and staff, who have been essential in producing the William Grant Still Arts Center Black Doll Show, were recently featured in Netflix’s acclaimed documentary, “Black Barbie.” Monica Bailey shared her inspiring personal journey toward self-love through dolls, while Amitis Motevalli and Billie Green conveyed significant historical Black doll moments. Also included in the documentary was Stacy McBride-Irby, who participated in our 2018 Black Doll Show, reflecting on her time at Barbie and her decision to develop her own Black doll line. These powerful voices underscore the deep connection between Black dolls, identity, and self-empowerment. In this 44th year, the Black Doll Show remains as relevant as ever.

This year’s theme, “in need of good folk… MAGIC FOLK LIKE US,” taps into that same empowering spirit, reminding us that within the realm of imagination, we are limitless. Aiysha Sinclair, the Los Angeles-based Children’s Book Author, Performer, and Doll Artist curating this year’s show, is known for her exploration of the magic and wonder within the African diaspora. Her work, which spans across folk tales, fairy tales, and folklore, invites visitors to reconnect with their roots and explore the cultural richness that Black storytelling has offered the world.

“These stories are haunting as well as uplifting,” says Sinclair. “I don’t think I’ll ever tire of learning from them. It is an honor to share my stories, and those of my ancestors, whether through writing, mixed media, or creating dolls.”

Celebrating Black Folklore and Tradition

At the heart of this year’s exhibit is a celebration of the countless stories that Black people have passed down through the ages—stories of tricksters, supernatural beings, heroic women, and enslaved ancestors. This is a space where imagination and memory collide, and where dolls become more than just objects—they become storytellers, sharing the influences of villages, families, and community dynamics. Like a griot passing tales from one generation to the next, the artists in this year’s Black Doll Show continue a tradition of storytelling that transcends time and place. The exhibit will showcase dolls and mixed media pieces that bring to life Black folklore, reflecting the joy, resilience, and spirit of Black culture.

The Legacy of the Black Doll Show and Its Connection to Civil Rights

The Black Doll Show began in response to the 1940s doll tests conducted by Mamie and Kenneth Clark, which revealed how systemic racism impacted Black children’s self-esteem and led them to prefer white dolls. This became pivotal evidence in civil rights lawsuits, including the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case. To counteract these negative self-images, artists Cecil and Miriam Fergerson started the Black Doll Show in the 1980s, bringing together handmade Black dolls to celebrate the beauty and cultural significance of Black identity.

Through this tradition, the William Grant Still Arts Center has continued to create a space for Black artists to reshape narratives and redefine self-worth. The presence of doll artists like Monica Bailey, Amitis Motevalli, and Billie Green in “Black Barbie” speaks to the deep importance of this work. Their reflections in the documentary on how Black dolls have shaped their own lives are echoed in this year’s show, where the tradition of using dolls to convey cultural and personal stories continues.

An Invitation to Experience Magic and History

We invite all who believe in the power of storytelling and Black cultural heritage to join us for this year’s Black Doll Show. Whether you are a longtime fan of the exhibit or newly inspired by the stories shared in “Black Barbie,” the magic of this year’s theme, “in need of good folk… MAGIC FOLK LIKE US,” will speak to your heart.

This is a celebration not just of art, but of identity, history, and community—an affirmation that the stories of Black people, whether told through dolls, folklore, or film, have the power to inspire, uplift, and transform.

Event Details:

Opening Reception: December 14, 2024, from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Exhibition Dates: December 14, 2024 – February 15th, 2025

Doll Workshops

  • December 21, 2024
  • January 11, 2025
  • February 8, 2025

Additional Events During the Black Doll Show Run:

  • Panel Discussion Jan 18
  • Stories & Books (Zine Making Workshop) Feb 1
  • Tea Time (drink tea with your dolls) closing Feb 15

Together, let us celebrate the magic of our stories and the good folk who continue to tell them.

Event Date
-
Event Location

William Grant Still Arts Center
2520 S West View St
Los Angeles, CA 90016
United States

Event Lat/Long
34.033046, -118.3478376
Fee Required
No
Event Cost
Free
Event ID
10348816
Event Main Image
Event Type
Culture & Community
Family Activity
Event Department
Cultural Affairs
Description

An in-depth installation of Jean-Michel Basquiat features all 13 works by the artist in the Broad collection, including three works on view for the first time at The Broad: Santo 2, Deaf, and Wicker.

 

Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays – 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Thursdays – 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.,
Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Event Date
-
Event Location

The Broad
221 S. Grand Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90012
United States

Event Lat/Long
34.0544669, -118.2505609
Fee Required
No
Event Cost
Free
Event ID
10351001
Event Main Image
Event Type
Culture & Community
Family Activity
Event Department
Cultural Affairs
Description

Imagining Black Diasporas: 21st-Century Art and Poetics fi nds aesthetic connections among 60 artists working in Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The exhibition and its catalog are among the first to examine nearly a quarter century of production by Black artists. The project debuts new acquisitions for LACMA and expands the Pan-African exhibition canon, historically focused on the Black Atlantic, by showcasing artists working along the Pacific Rim.

Event Date
-
Event Location

Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
United States

Event Lat/Long
34.0637913, -118.3588851
Fee Required
Yes
Event Cost
Check the website for ticket prices
Contact Phone
213.202.5567
Event ID
10353023
Event Main Image