CSUN Received Grant to Digitize Vera Jackson Collection
The university will preserve thousands of historical photos documenting Black life in 1940s Los Angeles.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in African-American
Live Poll
Do you believe local universities should prioritize digitizing and sharing historical community archives online?
Cal State Northridge secured nearly $70,000 in funding from the John Randolph Hayes and Dora Hayes Foundation to digitize the Vera Jackson photography collection. This project will make 2,550 items available to the public through the university library.
Why it matters
The initiative aims to improve historical understanding of the city by preserving the unique perspective of Vera Jackson, a prominent Black female photographer who documented regional history.
The grant funds the digitization of 2,550 items, including photographs, film reels, and personal papers. This project represents 25% of the total Vera Jackson collection currently held by the university.
The players
Vera Jackson
She was a staff photographer for The California Eagle who chronicled Black life in Los Angeles during the mid-20th century.
Tom & Ethel Bradley Center
This university organization is responsible for the research, cataloging, and digital preservation of these historical materials.
John Randolph Hayes and Dora Hayes Foundation
This philanthropic organization provided the financial support necessary to launch the digitization of the Jackson collection.
The details
The Tom & Ethel Bradley Center will lead the effort to digitize, research, and catalog materials that highlight the Black experience in Los Angeles during the 1940s and 1950s. These records were primarily captured while Jackson served as a staff photographer for The California Eagle.
Timeline
Vera Jackson documented Los Angeles during the 1940s and 1950s.
Cal State Northridge announced the grant award on September 16, 2026.
Culture Shift
This project aligns with broader efforts by cultural institutions to elevate marginalized voices in the historical record. By digitizing these works, universities are correcting long-standing absences in public archives regarding mid-century urban life.
Residents and historians will soon have digital access to rare visual records of the city's past from their own devices. This change reduces the need for physical visits to university archives to study these specific historical papers and photographs.
The takeaway
Preserving these materials ensures that the daily realities of 1940s Los Angeles are not lost to time or decay. Accessing these digitized collections can provide students and local families with a deeper connection to the city's diverse historical narrative.
Further reading
Discover more cultural history initiatives in African-American.
Source note: This article includes information reported by My News LA.
Live Poll
Do you believe local universities should prioritize digitizing and sharing historical community archives online?
