Before rock and roll fully understood the power of a Latin beat, Ritchie Valens was already changing its sound!

Born during the era of the Spanish Flu pandemic, Veda James came of age in a United States where racial segregation and gender discrimination were woven deeply into everyday life.Her path would nevertheless lead her into an institution and profession in which women—particularly Black women—had few opportunities. Veda became the first woman to work in the Los Angeles Police Department’s Detective Division in 1945.

For generations, the San Fernando Valley has occupied a distinctive place in the American imagination. Its sun-drenched neighborhoods, palm-lined boulevards, sprawling suburban communities, and legendary entertainment culture have helped define the Southern California lifestyle. But behind that familiar image lies a far more fascinating, complex, and sometimes troubling history.

Few artists have left as powerful a mark on American popular music in as short a time as Ritchie Valens. More than six decades after his death, his music, cultural influence, and connection to Pacoima continue to resonate with generations of fans. Ritchie Valens: The First Latino Rocker — Expanded Edition, an updated and richly illustrated edition of Beverly Mendheim’s important biography of the young musician whose groundbreaking sound changed music.

Pacoima’s early future was shaped by the Southern Pacific Railroad—and by Leland Stanford, the railroad magnate, former California governor, U.S. Senator, and founder of Stanford University.

Jenaro Ayala was a dedicated Chicano activist, community voice, teacher, and proud son of Pacoima/San Fernando, whose life embodied the spirit of La Raza and the ongoing struggle for justice, dignity, and self-determination.

After African American families began moving into the Joe Louis Homes in Pacoima in 1951—and later into neighborhoods such as San Fern Manor—women organized social clubs, sororities, and community circles that helped shape a new Black suburban life in the San Fernando Valley.

In The Entrance: Pacoima’s Story, author and historian Crystal Jackson uncovers the remarkable history of a Southern California community whose story mirrors many of the struggles, transformations, and triumphs that have shaped America.

For most of the San Fernando Valley’s recorded history, Pacoima sat at the margins of the narrative: redlined on maps, omitted from timelines, and treated as an isolated, “other” community rather than as a central part of Valley history. Its people built industries, created culture, led movements, and raised generations here, yet their contributions were rarely documented in the same places where “official” Valley history lived.

Pacoima Historical Society and The Museum of the San Fernando Valley officially unveiled the complete "Historical Timeline of the San Fernando Valley" exhibit on June 6. The unveiling ceremony, held at the Museum of the San Fernando Valley, marked the completion of a three-phase project that began in 2024 and has grown into one of the most ambitious efforts ever undertaken to document the region's rich and diverse history.

Mark your calendars for June 6th at 11 AM—history is being made. For years, the Pacoima Historical Society has worked hard to make sure our community’s stories are heard. Too often, important voices and contributions have been left out of history. On June 6th at 11 AM, we will celebrate a major milestone with the unveiling of the new “Historical Timeline of the San Fernando Valley” exhibit at the Museum of the San Fernando Valley. This unveiling marks the completion of a thre

Pacoima Historical Society is celebrating a new chapter in community history with the recognition of an everyday landmark that helped shape Black life in the northeast Valley. StylesVille Barbershop & Beauty Salon, long regarded as the oldest continuously operating Black-owned barbershop in the San Fernando Valley, is now officially a Historic-Cultural Monument, thanks in part to a nomination supported by the Pacoima Historical Society

Since our nation's birth, Pacoima has become a microcosm of America's social development and evolution. Now a comprehensive book about one of Los Angeles' oldest towns has released. "The Entrance: Pacoima's Story" by Crystal Jackson is a fascinating study of American history viewed through the evolution of this historic town.