Charlotta Bass and other visitors at the Hugh Gordon Book Shop, Los Angeles, ca. 1946-1950

Photograph of Charlotta Bass, second from right, looking at the book "Negro Liberation" at the Hugh Gordon Book Shop. Emil Freed, second from left, founder of the Southern California Library for Social Studies and Research, and Adele Young, forth from left, behind the book display, the shop's proprietor, also browse the store's materials. An orator, writer and community activist, Gordon advocated self-determination for Africans and worked with the Los Angeles Men's Forum, a civil rights organization. Gordon also helped organize the Pyramid Cooperative Grocery and Meat Market, a cooperative store in the African-American community. Upon his death, he left money in his will to open a bookstore specializing in materials about Africa and African-Americans. The Hugh Gordon Book Shop opened in the late 1940s and at various times during its existence was located at 1109 E. 42nd Place, 4310 S. Central Avenue and 4507 S. Central Avenue.