Her motions recognize the 1st Street & Los Angeles Street and Temple Street & Figueroa Street intersections as former locations of Little Manila
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles City Council adopted Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s proposal to designate two intersections in Downtown Los Angeles Civic Center to recognize the contributions of Filipinos to the history and culture of Los Angeles. These sites will honor “Little Manila,” the original epicenter of the community that grew from the first large wave of Philippine migrants to the United States.
“Recognizing the history of Little Manila is a vital step toward justice for the Filipino community whose contributions have been ignored or erased,” said Councilmember Jurado. “As the first Filipina elected to the Los Angeles City Council, I want to reclaim this lost part of our history and build this City a path forward marked by truth, respect, and vibrancy. If our goal is to build a city open to the world and all its community, we must start by honoring the people who built it.”
Under direction from Councilmember Jurado, the City will designate the 1st Street and Los Angeles Street intersection as the historic location of the original Little Manila site. As Little Manila endured displacement caused by racial hostility and segregationist policies, the City will also recognize the intersection at Temple Street and Figueroa Street for its historic significance as the second site of Little Manila and home of Filipino American author and activist Carlos Bulosan.
Designated as “America is in the Heart Square,” this intersection honors the second site of Little Manila as well as Bulosan’s novel of the same name. This novel is rooted in Filipino culture for its semi-autobiographic depiction of the prejudice, poverty, and struggles endemic to life as a Filipino American migrant worker in Downtown Los Angeles.
Despite Little Manila’s development throughout the 20th century, these areas no longer reflect its physical landscape, residents, nor cultural values, as continued displacement has erased all remnants of its cultural impact. While the Little Manila site at the Temple-Figueroa area of Downtown Los Angeles became a refuge against racism and a social, cultural, and economic hub for Filipinos Americans, urban renewal continued a pattern of displacement for this community. Projects including the City Hall South building, Department of Water and Power headquarters, and the 101 and 110 freeways destroyed the original structures in Little Manila and pushed the remaining residents to the area now known as Historic Filipinotown.
Following the City Council’s approval of Councilmember Jurado’s motion, the Department of Transportation will erect permanent ceremonial signs at these two site designations so that the city can better recognize the full breadth of the Filipino migrant community’s marginalization, cultural legacy, and inextricable mark on the history of Los Angeles.