A World of Its Own: Race, Labor, and Citrus in the Making of Greater Los Angeles, 1900-1970 by Garcia, Matt(January 28, 2002) Paperback

Studies in Rural Culture

by Matt Garcia

Oral History Association Book Award 2003Tracing the history of intercultural struggle and cooperation in the citrus belt of Greater Los Angeles, Matt Garcia explores the social and cultural forces that helped make the city the expansive and diverse metropolis that it is today. As the citrus-growing regions of the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys in eastern Los Angeles County expanded during the early twentieth century, the agricultural industry there developed along segregated lines, primarily between white landowners and Mexican and Asian laborers. Initially, these communities were sharply divided. But Los Angeles, unlike other agricultural regions, saw important opportunities for intercultural exchange develop around the arts and within multiethnic community groups. Whether fostered in such informal settings as dance halls and theaters or in such formal organizations as the Intercultural Council of Claremont or the Southern California Unity Leagues, these interethnic encounters formed the basis for political cooperation to address labor discrimination and solve problems of residential and educational segregation. Though intercultural collaborations were not always successful, Garcia argues that they constitute an important chapter not only in Southern California's social and cultural development but also in the larger history of American race relations.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[David Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garcia focuses on a few cities in LA's eastern hinterlands to explore the Mexican American experience via the citrus industry, dance halls, a white-owned dinner theater with Latino performers and fumbling attempts by whites at intercultural understanding. Lots of valuable information, although the writing can be academic.

[Oscar Ponteri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very informative, academic account of the establishment of the Los Angeles urban “poly-nuclei” landscape which was formed through a century of citrus and immigration. Presented in a few snapshot stories of life, labor, and culture in the Cirtus Belt between 1900-1970, which in my opinion, did not quite create as comprehensive of a thread of history to follow as I was hoping for.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. This is not simply because I have an obsession with the early twentieth century history of Los Angeles, but also that the book creates a bridge between the power of entertainment and the reality of racial and class discrimination. Although it is a purely historical study of the role of mexican american citrus workers in the creation of communities in the areas that became greater Los Angeles, it has helped me organize an interdisciplinary field of research for myself. Did I mention that I love bibliographies. And footnotes. and urban sociology. and honey. tasty tasty honey.

[Seth Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating history of the racial politics of Claremont and the Inland Empire. Matt Garcia is a Claremont Graduate University Ph.D. in history who now teaches at Brown. A must read for Claremont residents.