Dropcon37

Bronzesville, for those who do not have an extensive knowledge of California history, was the name given to a part of Los Angeles previously known as Little Tokyo. This name change was due in part because of national fear of people of Japanese dissent during world war two. Thus the Japanese were forced into interment camps and suddenly a large amount of space becomes available with no one occupying it. This is where the main inhabitants of Bronzevilles short period of time existing show up. The majority of people who lived in Bronzeville where African Americans, many of whom had previously resided in the south on the eastern coast and relocated to California in order to escape the horrendous Jim Crow laws. Bronzeville was officially established in 1943 and named as such by its newly established chamber of congress. Though Bronzeville would eventually disapate at the end of the war once the Japanese were allowed to leave the interment camps.

During Bronzevilles short existence arose a number of prominent establishments, many of them in the form of breakfast clubs. For the most part these establishments were technically nightclubs but were nicknamed breakfast clubs due to the fact that they stayed open until the morning. A lot of these clubs were able to stay open and thrive as business's due to a large number of workers spending time at these clubs after there shifts were over. Of these so called breakfast clubs would be Shepps Playhouse, the most known out of all the breakfast clubs. This was due in large part to a number socially high ranking patrons attending the club as well as a number of notable musicians playing at the club on a regular basis.

http://bronzeville-la.ltsc.org/

http://encyclopedia.densho.org/Little_Tokyo_/_Bronzeville,_Los_Angeles,_California/

https://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/rediscovering-l-s-lost-neighborhood-bronzeville/