Shades of L.A. is an archive of photographs representing the contemporary and historic diversity of families in Los Angeles. Images were chosen from family albums and include daily life, social organizations, work, personal and holiday celebrations, and migration and immigration activities. Made possible and accessible through the generous support of the Security Pacific National Bank, Sunlaw Cogeneration Partners, Photo Friends, California Council for the Humanities, the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, and the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation.
Images available for reproduction and educational use. Please see the Ordering & Use page at http://tessa.lapl.org/orderinguse.html for additional information. The contents of this collection are restricted to personal, research, and non-commercial use. The Library cannot share the personal and/or contact information of the donors, their descendants, or associates who contributed photographs and oral histories to the collection.
Description
Title supplied by cataloger.; Image is a reproduction. Alfreda Dean Masters' great-grandmother, Lucinda Arch, emigrated from Germany in the 1800s and owned a plantation in Texas. She fell in love with William Arch, an enslaved man, and received permission from her parents to marry him. Lucinda's parents taught William to read and write and to keep the plantation's books. Alfreda's father, Alfred Masters, was the first Black to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps, in 1942. Alfreda, born in 1943, came from Oklahoma City to Los Angeles in 1948 with her mother, Dr. Isabell Masters, and three of her siblings because 'California sounded interesting.' Alfred joined them soon afterwards but later separated from Isabell. In 1960, Alfreda was one of the original Playboy bunnies in L.A. She was also a regular supporting actress on the 'General Hospital' soap opera for many years. Isabell ran for President of the United States five times. Alfreda was her running mate in 2000. Alfreda's brother, Rev. Thomas Masters, started preaching at the age of 3 and had a Baptist church in West Palm Beach, FL. Her sister, Cora Masters, was married to Marion Barry, then-mayor of Washington, DC. Her other sister, Shirley Masters, mediated a gang truce between the Bloods & Crips and the police department in Pasadena, CA. Alfreda Masters, left poses with her sister Cora Lavonne Masters at a house party in Los Angeles around 1967.
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