South Central Los Angeles

Disparities Map In contrast to more affluent neighborhoods a few miles away, the community of South Central Los Angeles has struggled with a lack of services—grocery stores are few, while liquor stores and fast food restaurants abound. Public schools under-perform, and with two hospitals closed in recent years, community health clinics are overburdened. Unemployment in the region is 14 percent, a rate 37 percent higher than the neighborhood with the next highest unemployment. Explore a map of the area and learn how these disparities impact residents >>

Timeline In the 1940s, South Central was home to black-owned businesses and a thriving jazz and R&B music scene. Workers found jobs in nearby factories owned by Goodyear, Firestone, Chrysler and Ford. But with the closing of factories, the encroachment of L.A.’s freeway system, the growth of public housing, the arrival of crack cocaine and changing demographics, South Central’s landscape has changed over the years. More recently, efforts to rebuild are underway; the neighborhood has even changed its name. View a timeline of the neighborhood’s history >>