Josh Sides - Director, Center For Southern California Studies, CSU Northridge

As the director of the Center for Southern California Studies at the California State University at Northridge, historian and professor Josh Sides has delved deep into the evolution of urban development in Southern California and the impact it has had on the region, and African-Americans in particular. Sides' research and scholarly eloquence is articulated in his book, City Limits: African American Los Angeles from the Great Depression to the Present where he clearly associates the current conditions of Los Angeles' inner city ethnic enclaves with the existence of racial covenants established in the early part of the 20th Century. In the following interviews, Sides explains the development of Compton as a result of land speculation and its proximity to the entertainment industry.

Remembering Compton
"Compton is a metaphor for the history of post-war race in America."

Developing Compton
"Compton is the central transportation hub of the city of Los Angeles."

Compton Today
"Compton has and continues to be an entry point to find the low to middle class California dream."