What Cinco de Mayo has to do with the French in Early L.A.

An image of the French district in downtown Los Angeles. The image shows Aliso Street in downtown Los Angeles, California, with signs labeling buildings "Griffins Transfer and Storage Co." and "Cafe des Alpes" next to "Eden Hotel," which are located on opposite corners of Aliso and Alameda Streets. A Pacific Electric streetcar sign reads "Sierra Madre" and automobiles and horse-drawn wagons are seen in the dirt road.

Ernest Marquez Collection / Huntington Digital Library

An image of the French district in downtown Los Angeles.

UCLA Humanities | May 5, 2021

Professor of English and Chicano/a Studies, Marissa Lopez has published an article on KCET’s website called “What Cinco de Mayo has to do with the French in Early L.A.” The piece is part of Picturing Mexican America, a digital humanities project designed and run by Professor Marissa López that is committed to illuminating the long, Mexican history of Los Angeles that’s been systematically erased through centuries of white, cultural supremacy.