American West Historian puts into context the stories of people and places from the past and shows their enormous relevance for all of us today. Dates still to be announced. Please check back for updates.

Upcoming Event(s)

Past Events

February 2025

22 February

12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

ARJ Talk on Afro Angeleno Histories, Campo de Cahuenga, Studio City, CA || 2025 Black History Month Celebration

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Past Events

Saturday, February 22, 2025, from 12.00 pm to 2.00 pm PT

Campo de Cahuenga
3919 Landershim Boulevard
Studio City, California 91604 

On Saturday, February 22, 2025, visit Campo de Cahuenga (historic site and park) and take in an illustrated presentation with Dr. Alison Rose Jefferson about African Americans, the Great Migration and the relaxation spaces at Southern California beaches and inland places such as Santa Monica Beach and Val Verde they created during Jim Crow era from the 1900s to 1960s. During the reception to follow the presentation, on sale will be her award winning book, Living the California Dream: African American Leisure Sites during the Jim Crow Era. 

Learn more about the event @ Campo de Cahuenga here

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16 February

3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Venice Heritage Museum, 2025 Black History Month Celebration

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Past Events

Sunday, February 16, 2025, from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm PT

Venice Heritage Museum
228 Main Street
Venice, California 90291 

Come out and learn about the Venice African American experience with long time residents of the seaside community from different generations at the VHM Oral History Speaker Series. The discussion will be moderated by Alison Rose Jefferson. 

RSVP and learn more about the event @ the Venice Heritage Musuem here

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01 February

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

“Wade in the Water…” Documentary Film Screening and Panel, Santa Monica Public Library Main Branch | 2025 Black History Month Program

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Past Events

Saturday, February 1, 2025, from 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm PT

Main Library Branch, MLK Jr. Auditorium
Santa Monica Public Library
601 Santa Monica Boulevard
Santa Monica, California 90401

Join a screening of “Wade in the Water: A Journey into Black Surfing and Aquatic Culture” directed by David Mesfin at the Santa Monica Main Public Library branch on Saturday, February 1, 2025. A panel discussion following the film will include me, Historian Alison Rose Jefferson (featured in the film) and others who have experiences with historical and contemporary beach culture legacies.

Learn more about the Wade in the Water film event @ SMPL Main Branch here

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October 2024

19 October

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

ARJ Presentation at the LA Archives Bazaar at USC

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Past Events

Saturday, October 19, 2024, from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm PT

Los Angeles Archives Bazaar
University of Southern California, Doheny Library
tion Park, 600 State Drive
Los Angeles, California 90037

Join me, Alison Rose Jefferson, at my presentation, “Reinserting Stories of African Americans in So Cal Beach Histories” at 2.00 pm on Sat. Oct. 19, 2024, at the 19th annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar at University of Southern California’s Doheny Memorial Library. This year’s theme is the History of Water in Southern California from the mountains to the Pacific Ocean as a layered natural, social and political landscape. 

Learn more about the Los Angeles Archives Bazaar @ USC’s Doheny Library event here

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July 2024

31 July

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

ARJ Curatorial Tour: Black California Dreamin’ Exhibition at CAAM LA

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Past Events

Wednesday, July 31, 2024, from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm PT

California African American Museum (CAAM)
Exposition Park, 600 State Drive
Los Angeles, California 90037

Please join CAAM and me, Alison Rose Jefferson, for a curatorial tour of the “Black California Dreamin’: Claiming Space in America’s Leisure Frontier” (BCD) exhibition. Featured in the exhibition are historical photographs and memorabilia along with contemporary artworks that illuminate Black leisure practices in California as well as confront White supremacy.

Learn more about the BCD @ CAAM event here

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20 July

12:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Venice Soulstice

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Past Events

Saturday, July 20, 2024, from 12.00 pm to 7.00 pm PT

First Baptist Church of Venice (at the parking lot)
685 Westminister Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90291

Join us for the inaugural Venice Soulstice event, a celebration of Black expression in the heart of the Venice community, including music, dance, art, food, and storytelling.

Learn more about Venice Soulstice here

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June 2024

28 June

7:00 pm - 11:00 pm

KCRW Summer Nights @ CAAM | Join ARJ at Black California Dreamin’ Exhibition

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Past Events

Friday, June 28, 2024, from 7.00 pm to 11.00 pm PT

California African American Museum (CAAM)
Exposition Park, 600 State Drive
Los Angeles, California 90037

Celebrate summer at CAAM with after hours access to all exhibitions with KCRW DJs doing live sets and more. Please join KCRW Summer Nights @ CAAM and me, Alison Rose Jefferson, where you can see the “Black California Dreamin’: Claiming Space in America’s Leisure Frontier” (BCD) exhibition. Featured in the BCD exhibition are historical photographs and memorabilia along with contemporary artworks that illuminate Black leisure practices in California as well as confront White supremacy.

Learn more about the KCRW Summer Nights @ CAAM event here

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19 June

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

ARJ Curatorial Tour: Black California Dreamin’ Exhibition at CAAM LA

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Past Events

Wednesday, June 19, 2024, from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm PT

California African American Museum (CAAM)
Exposition Park, 600 State Drive
Los Angeles, California 90037

Please join CAAM and me, Alison Rose Jefferson, for a curatorial tour of the “Black California Dreamin’: Claiming Space in America’s Leisure Frontier” (BCD) exhibition. Featured in the exhibition are historical photographs and memorabilia along with contemporary artworks that illuminate Black leisure practices in California as well as confront White supremacy.

Learn more about the BCD @ CAAM event here

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13 June

6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Sweat Equity Alliance (SEA) Change || ARJ Presentation

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Past Events

Thursday, June 13, 2024, from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm PT

Sweat Equity Alliance (SEA) Change
El Segundo Public Library, Sue Carter Room
111 West Mariposa Avenue El Segundo, California 90245

Please join the Sweat Equity Alliance (SEA) Change and me, Alison Rose Jefferson, for a talk I will do on Black Histories of the Jim Crow Era in South Bay cities of Los Angeles County and how they impact us today. (SEA Change Social, 6.30 pm; Presentation, 7.00 pm)

Free and open to the public. (Note this program is not sponsored by the El Segundo Public Library.)

Download a flyer about the talk here.      

Learn more about the SEA Change event here

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April 2024

20 April

1:00 pm - 3:30 pm

African American Histories by the Sea

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Past Events

Saturday, April 20, 2024, from 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm PT

Santa Monica Conservancy Special Tour
Historic Belmar Park and other sites, Santa Monica, California

Please join the Santa Monica Conservancy and me, historian Alison Rose Jefferson M.H.C. | Ph.D. for special walking tour experience focused on the African American experience in Santa Monica’s beach culture histories during the Jim Crow era (1900-1960). The tour will visit Belmar History + Art, the Bay Street Beach Historic District, Ebony Beach, and more significant sites.

Admission is $10 for the general public and $5 for Santa Monica Conservancy members. Join us for program.  

Register and learn more about the Santa Monica event here

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11 April

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Orange County Marine PAC RISJ Speaker Series

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Thursday, April 11, 2024, from 6.00 pm to 7.30 pm PT

Orange County Marine Protected Area Council’s Racial, Indigenous, & Social Justice Committee
Webinar and Discussion (Virtual)

Please join the Orange County Marine Protected Area Council’s Racial, Indigenous, Social Justice Committee webinar speaker series conversation. Our segment, the second in the series, will feature me and other expert panelists discussing BIPOC coastal experiences and coastal access.

Free and open to the public. Join us after the virtual program.  

Download a flyer about the talk here.      

Learn more about the OC Marine PAC RISJ event here

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February 2024

08 February

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Illuminating Black California Stories from the Jim Crow Era

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Past Events

Thursday, February 8, 2024, from 5.30 pm to 7.00 pm PT

Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation
Alhecama Theatre, 215 East Cannon Perdido St.
in El Presido de Santa Barbara State Historic Park, California 93101

Please join University of Santa Barbara History Associates, Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation and Alison Rose Jefferson, Ph.D. ’15 for a talk where she will share stories about how African Americans from the 1900s to 1960s created recreational and relaxation spaces at Southern California beaches and other places. Drawing on her recent book, Living the California Dream: African American Leisure Sites during the Jim Crow Era, Dr. Jefferson will also share how some of these stories are being used in contemporary public history remembrance and public policy actions.

Free and open to the public. Join us after the talk for light refreshments.            RSVP to

Download a flyer about the talk here.      

Learn more about the Santa Barbara history event here

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