Index of American Design records

This collection contains over 3,000 items from the files of the Southern California chapter of the Index of American Design, a Federal Arts Project, 1933 to 1943. The vast majority of the items are brief reports on a particular topic, many of which are accompanied by drawings and photographs. Also included are more in-depth reports, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and printed matter such as pamphlets on museum exhibits and political issues. Every aspect of California art from the 17th to 19th centuries is covered to varying degrees, including household embroidery, metal work and sculpture. Art and artifacts of nearly every type were meticulously studied and recorded for posterity. Topics covered with substantial depth are: art, architecture and history of California missions; Native American art and design; and Native American legends, which were written by artist White Bead Quann expressly for the Index, and are punctuated with Cherokee words and phrases. There is also a large amount of material on the proposed Ham and Eggs amendment of 1939, a pension movement in California during the 1930s. Most of the material was authored by the Southern California Citizens Against 30 Thursday group. The growth and development of California is represented through community studies that tracked regional demographics over time. The studies track the growing ethnic, social and economic diversity in Los Angeles County and small communities such as Inglewood and El Monte. The Los Angeles Negro Survey of 1935 is a notable in-depth study of the economic and social status of African Americans in Los Angeles.