The Intertwined History of Class and Race Segregation in Los Angeles

Abstract

Separation of classes was as much a part of early twentieth-century Los Angeles residential development as racial segregation. While one is certainly more pernicious than the other, the two often went hand in hand. Developers used similar tools to create these divided communities: restrictive covenants, reliance on the courts to uphold those covenants, and advertising. They purposefully planned residential space intended to keep different classes of people separate and ensure white communities. This history becomes especially significant in light of present-day discussions of urban inequity, gentrification, and mixed-income neighborhoods.