Evergreen LA

Monument to the (mostly) Japanese-American 442nd battalion of WWII.

They fought in Europe, and was proportionately the most-decorated unit in US Army history.

Eddie Anderson was a black comedian and actor. His most famous role was that of Rochester van Jones, valet of Jack Benny, on his radio and TV shows.

James Banning, accompanied by his mechanic Thomas Allen, became America's first black aviator to fly coast-to-coast, which took 21 days because they had to raise money at each stop. He died as a passenger in an air show crash.

Charlotta Bass, unmarked on her husbands grave, was an educator, newspaper publisher-editor, and civil rights activist. In 1952 Bass became the first African-American woman nominated for Vice President, as a candidate of the Progressive Party.

Matthew Beard played Stymie in the Our Gang shorts. He became a heroin addict, was in and out of prison, and talked to kids about drug addiction.

Louise Beavers acted, mostly as maids and nannies, then had the lead in Imitation of Life, and was one of 4 actresses to play Beulah on that TV sitcom - the first with a black lead. She's buried with her mother.

Jesse Belvin co-wrote the song Earth Angel. He was one of the black performers at the first racially-integrated concert in Little Rock. He and his wife died in a car accident that night.

Frank Braxton was one of the first black animators, working at Warner Bros, and later directing The Bullwinkle Show, Mr. Magoo, George of the Jungle, and Cap'n Crunch commercials.

Sara Luttra Winslow married a radiator shop worker at 15 and lived in Indiana. Next records indicate in 1930 she was living in LA, married to Charles Butler, a casting director in Hollywood. She became an ordained minister, and formed the Zion Temple Community Church. By 1940 the Butler's had separated. in May 1940, Caldwell Jones, recently divorced, and the church treasurer, went to Butler's apartment, shot her 3 times, and committed suicide. Reasons are unclear, but a lover's spat was suspected.

Donaldina Cameron was a Presbyterian missionary, who advocated for social justice. She rescued and educated over 3,000 Chinese slave girls and women, in San Francisco, from 1895 to 1934.

Charles Canfield was a major developer of the oil industry in Southern California. He helped convert the AT&SF railroad from coal to oil.

He donated to charity, and helped develop Beverly Hills and Del Mar.

Vito Casini was one of a handful of people killed in a fireworks accident celebrating the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day, in the Italian community within Los Angeles. At one point the crowd had gotten out of hand and it is believed some of them added extra gunpowder to the crude mortar later fired by the operator, causing it to explode near the end of the pipe instead of the bottom, scattering shrapnel through the crowd.

The Chinese shrine was built in 1888 by the people of Los Angeles' Old Chinatown. It has two 12-foot-high kilns or "burners", a central altar platform, and a common memorial stone inscribed with Chinese characters.

At funeral ceremonies, Chinese-American pioneers burned gold and silver paper – symbolizing money – and the deceased's personal effects and favorite clothing. This was believed to encourage a safe transit to the next life, and the well-being and abundance of the departed.

Chinese shrine.

The Vache family plot.

Mary Foy was the first woman head librarian of the Los Angeles Public Library, appointed to the job in 1880 at the age of 18.

Earl Gilmore's independent oil business was the largest in the west, started self-serve stations, and promoted racing. Some of his land is the location of Farmer's Market.

The Gilmore's were big in the oil business.

The cemetery is mostly segregated.

A portion of the Japanese section.

Sam Haskins was a former slave and was the first black man hired by the LAFD.

Sam was a popular and friendly man, and was also the first to die on the job when he was tossed from the fire wagon, run over, and burned by the boiler.

Joe Hayashi earned a MOH which was upgraded from a Purple Heart in a White House ceremony in 2000. He had volunteered before the attack of Pearl Harbor.

Traveling from Ohio to California for the gold rush, Hollenbeck stayed in Nicaragua when the boat broke down. He began river boating and operated a general store. He settled in LA during the 1870s and bought land.

John Edward Hollenbeck was an American businessman and investor who was involved in the 19th century development of Nicaragua and the city of Los Angeles, California.

Ladies Auxiliary of the Pacific Showman's Association.

Jolly John Larkin was vaudeville's "Rajah of Mirth" and "Funniest Colored Comedian in the World". He headed the Dandy Dixie Minstrels in the 1920s.

His last film role was in the Great Ziegfeld. This note is from a relative, who visited while on business from Australia.

James Mackey was a catcher and manager in Negro league baseball. He had a lifetime batting avg of .322, and played in the 1947 All-Star game at age 50.

Bridget Mason was a former slave who worked as a nurse, and donated land for the First AME church. She fed and sheltered the poor, visited prisoners, founded a traveler's aid center, and was an elementary school for black children.

Charles Alexander Mentry was in the oil business, and his So Cal well Pico #4 was the first commercially successful well in the western US. Mentry died from bug bites.

Sadao Munemori was the first MOH recipient from the unit. He smothered a grenade to protect fellow soldiers.

Lela and husband Nolie owned Murray's Ranch, sometimes called the Overall Wearing Dude Ranch, in Apple Valley, California. The ranch was open to anyone, though it catered primarily to an African-American clientele. Guests included Lena Horne, Kate Smith, Joe Louis, Hedda Hopper, Freddie Bartholomew, Hattie McDaniel, Clark Gable and Louise Beavers. It also served as the set for a number of "all-black cast" western movies. Eventually, it was burned down in a fire department training exercise in 1988.

Ulysses Nunn Sr, known as Bobby, was the original bass vocalist for The Coasters. In 1957 the LA-based group relocated to New York, but Nunn refused to make the move. Nunn-less, the Coasters went on to score seven Top Ten hits.

An old marker.

The Pacific Coast Showmen's Association was established in 1922 to help out-of-work and retired carnival employees, even after they died.

William G Perry was a LA lumber baron and the first president of the Department of Water and Power. His former home, a Greek Revival, is on display at Heritage Square Museum in Highland Park.

The book of Perry's.

Pioneer cemetery and Chinese shrine.

Pioneer cemetery wall.

These unknown graves were discovered during street widening.