February 24: Join PBS SoCal for a special screening of "The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is Our Song"

February 18: Join PBS SoCal for a special screening of "The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is Our Song"

As MLK Day approaches, we owe it to our children — and to ourselves — to talk about Dr. King's work, honor his legacy and consider what his work means today.

In an era where architects typically majored in one style, he excelled in every architectural style, making him one of the most renowned architects throughout the world despite the discriminatory racial practices of his time. 

In the course of his five-decade career, Paul Revere Williams, an African American architect born in Los Angeles on February 18, 1894, overcame prejudice and become one of the foremost architects in history. The path he has forged has served as an inspiration for young architects to this day. Learn more about the man and events that shaped his life in this timeline.

From 1969 to 1975, Compton's Communicative Arts Academy invigorated the city with art by establishing Compton as canvas and muse as well as by transforming buildings into venues and objects for art in the community.

Paul Revere Williams is known as an architect to the stars, one of the first African Americans who achieved stature in a racially divided profession, but he also created civic works that spoke to the legacy he wanted to leave behind.

During the late 19th and early 20th century, many mass-produced black dolls were stereotypical, caricature-like and expressed racist undertones. Shindana Toys helped change the paradigm, irrevocably changing the toy industry today.

Los Angeles has influenced gospel music for decades, but its contributions to gospel are frequently overlooked. Now, that appears to be changing.