The 1992 Los Angeles riots were triggered by the acquittal of police officers in the beating of Rodney King. King was beaten after a car chase. This clip shows the King statement: Why can't we all get along? It also shows the arrival of National Guard. The late deployment of the Guard was criticized at the time.
"Flying Boats" (large seaplanes) were planned to connect the U.S. and China to access the "fabulous markets" of the latter in the 1930s. As it turned out, U.S.-China trade relations were largely delayed another half century.
The 1994 "Northridge" earthquake hit the Los Angeles area about 4:30 AM on Martin Luther King Day. This clip contains early scenes of damage and an interview with California governor Pete Wilson.
Ronald Reagan - then a liberal Democrat - campaigns on the radio for President Truman in 1948. He also supports Hubert Humphrey for Senator from Minnesota and opposes the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 which had been passed by the Republican congress over Truman's veto.
National organized crime penetrates L.A. in the 1930s through Bugsy Siegel and others. Police corruption leads to recall of corrupt Mayor Frank Shaw. Earl Warren as State Attorney General closes down offshore gambling in Santa Monica Bay.
In the 1920s, Ford Motor Co. was considered the leader in manufacturing technology and practices. Elements of Taylor's scientific management were combined with what economists now call "efficiency wages" (wages well above the general market).
These news clips show the reactions of Ken Lay, Jeff Skilling, and the prosecution to the guilty verdicts. Lay's conviction was technically overturned because he died before sentencing.
Aimee Semple McPherson opened the large Angelus Temple in the Los Angeles area in the early 1920s and was a pioneer in religious radio broadcasting. L.A.'s demographics at that time, heavily from the Midwest and South, matched her style of preaching.
Women in the workforce is the subject of this 1930s video. It starts out on a positive note but then warns of the perils facing country girls seeking jobs in New York City during the Great Depression.
These news clips show the inauguration of Chancellor Charles Young in 1969 despite concerns about student demonstrations. Not long after his inauguration, the chancellor was confronted with the Angela Davis controversy, also shown.
Female workforce participation rose dramatically during the 20th century. This episode from a radio program shows attitudes about "career girls" in the 1950s.
States often promote themselves as places to reside. In this case, however, the California Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation seeks to induce state prisoners to volunteer for transfer to out-of-state prisons. California has a problem of prison overcrowding and is seeking to reduce the numbers of prisoners it must house.
In the 1920s, Ford Motor Co. was considered the leader in manufacturing technology and practices. Elements of Taylor's scientific management were combined with what economists now call "efficiency wages" (wages well above the general market - the famous $5 day). In this video, workers and others of that era reflect on working at Ford. Some are positive; others not. This is Part One.
