“We Were Involved with the Club”

Abstract

During the second half of the Great Migration, circa 1940s–1970s, many Creole Louisianans migrated to Los Angeles, where they established recreational social clubs like those in New Orleans. This article analyzes the experiences and social functions of the clubs among first and second generations based on personal interviews, revealing the shifting roles and meanings across regions and generations. It enriches our understanding of the Great Migration and the clubs’ roles in fostering migrant adaptation and social cohesion among one element of the Los Angeles Black population.