November 24th Email - Dances in the 1960s

November 24th Email:

This is a great project to capture the times and the activity of the Asian American experience. You're focusing on the 70s but I think they are leaving out a big group, those that went to these dances in the 60s. I grew up in the 60s and my friends older brothers went to these dances at the Roger Young Auditorium and Parkview Women's club. They created clubs to host these dances. They used to haunt old record stores for the 45s of great music. They were car enthusiasts. They worked at gas stations and worked on their own cars. One thing that stands out in my mind during this period is the integration of the Japanese American and Chinese Americans and probably Korean Americans. Kids came from all over LA to these dances. Prior to this, our parents were probably not so open to the notion their kids were mixing from all the political stuff from the 30s-50s. Today we have many mixed Asian families. Anyhow, I got excited about your project and will pass along the message to those friends who were part of this scene. I wish you success and thank you for the doing this. ---------(Gardena, class of 66)

November 24th Email:

While I was not part of the Asian American Dance Scene of the 1970s, eventhough I should have been...

I was born in and grew up in LA Chinatown, went to Castelar School,Nightingale Jr. High, Belmont High (1971), and UCLA (1974), so I am veryinterested in documenting the history of Asian Americans in LosAngeles/Southern California. Thank you, -----Laguna Niguel, CA