Up Next
Back to Show
Lost LA
Racial Tensions Erupt at Griffith Park
The Merry-Go-Round at Griffith Park is a popular recreational activity, especially for parents and their children. The idyllic place is also the venue where Walt Disney purportedly first saw the glimmers of a future Disneyland. But in 1961, around the Memorial Day holiday, the Merry-Go-Round wasn't so merry; it became the site of racial tensions that challenged Griffith J. Griffith's vision of a park for the people. The incident is a reflection of the times, when Freedom Rides occurred in Montgomery, Alabama, and when the civil rights movement were just beginning to gain steam. Historian Alison Rose Jefferson explains to host Nathan Masters and author Casey Schreiner how this popular ride became a flashpoint in history.
Support Provided By
26:50
American history has long been told as a triumphant march westward from the Atlantic coast, but in southern California, our history stretches back further in time.
28:32
In this episode, "Lost LA" examines how the modern metropolis has reshaped its own topography. The program explores downtown L.A.'s lost hills and tunnels, as well as the vanished canals of Venice Beach.
20:57
In this episode, "Lost LA" explores the various ways Southern California's inhabitants have used the hills around Dodger Stadium.
