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The Vern L. Bullough Papers

Posted on August 28, 2018

Special Collections and Archives is happy to announce that the newly processed papers of historian and sexologist Dr. Vern L. Bullough are now open and available for research. Dr. Bullough began his career as a medievalist historian authoring such titles as Sexual Practices & the Medieval Church; and Man in Western Civilization. He also worked extensively with his wife. Many of their co-authored or co-edited works deal with nursing or human sexuality. Their credits include...

special collections

The Susan B. Nelson Collection

Posted on June 26, 2018

The Susan B. Nelson Collection documents Susan Nelson's professional and personal life, most notably the fundamental role she played in the creation of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The collection details the work of the Friends of the Santa Monica Mountains' Parks and Seashore and the Santa Monica Mountains and Seashore Foundation, which Nelson worked with to realize the dream of an urban park for residents of the greater Los Angeles area...

On the Eve of Suffrage: The Philanthropic and Educational Work of the Reseda Woman's Club, 1918-1920

Posted on May 07, 2018

On May 2, 1918 a local newspaper announced the organization of the Mother's Club of Marian, noting the Club’s purpose was "to be of patriotic service, to become a center for broader social life, and to work unitedly for the advancement of both school and community." Marian would later change its name...

The Oldest Profession

Posted on March 13, 2018

The scholarly study of prostitution began to flourish in the mid-1980s sparked by public health concerns over sexually transmitted diseases, the need for legislative protections against sexualized violence and sex trafficking, and a growing awareness of relationships between sex work, substance abuse, and mental health. The regulation of prostitution in the United States is not ...

A Look Back at School Desegregation and Busing in Los Angeles

Posted on February 27, 2018

In 1961, Mary Ellen Crawford, an African-American teen, attempted to enroll at South Gate High School, the closest high school to her home. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) refused her request, and directed her to enroll at the more-distant Jordan High School. Jordan’s student body was 99% African-American, while South Gate High's was 98% Caucasian. Crawford's parents filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging that LAUSD exercised discriminatory attendance boundary practices...

The Canoga Park High School Collection

Posted on December 12, 2017

Canoga Park High School is one of the oldest high school in the San Fernando Valley. The school first opened as Owensmouth High on October 4^th, 1914 with three teachers and fourteen students. In 1931, the school's name was changed after the town of Owensmouth became known as Canoga Park. The Canoga Park High School Collection consists of...

Civilian Internment in China, 1941-1945

Posted on December 05, 2017

Japanese incursions into China began as early as 1931, shortly after the Mukden (or Manchurian) Incident. The following six years saw several smaller incursions, both military and political. For the Far East and Southeast Asia, the war began with the full-scale Japanese invasion of China in 1937; two years later it would become World War II...

old china hands archives

The Guitar Foundation of America's International Concert Artist Competition

Posted on November 28, 2017

For guitarists, achieving recognition and fame through one’s unique ability to imagine, craft, and perform is a satisfying and rewarding experience that distinguishes the musician as exemplary. The Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) holds the International Concert Artist Competition each year, awarding the lucky winner an extensive international tour, a cash prize, a recording contract...

The Development of CSUN’s Ethnic Studies Programs

Posted on November 07, 2017

California State University of Northridge (CSUN), a very diverse university, developed some of the very first ethnic studies courses in the nation and has the one of the largest ethnic studies programs in the CSU system. Although many students and faculty today appreciate the required ...

The Mimi Melnick Collection

Posted on October 31, 2017

The Mimi Melnick Collection documents Mimi Melnick's personal and professional life, most significantly her influence over the emergence of jazz as a legitimate area of academic study and her role in the development and promotion of jazz in the Los Angeles area between 1958 ...