Long Beach has included a feasibility study of a proposed African American Cultural District among its Elevate ’28 projects. The city’s Elevate ’28 project page identifies the study, and the program’s project map lists 4321 Atlantic Ave. as the project location.
The city’s Elevate ’28 program includes a feasibility study for a proposed African American Cultural District.
As described in the Press Telegram’s account, the work will include stakeholder interviews, community meetings, an inventory of historical and cultural resources, market and creative-economy analysis, and research into comparable cultural districts. The process could also include a small demonstration project before the city considers longer-term proposals.
What the city materials describe
The Elevate ’28 materials place the study within a citywide infrastructure program valued at more than $1 billion and supported by more than $300 million in voter-approved Measure A funds.
What the preservation document would establish
The California Office of Historic Preservation says its African Americans in California Multiple Property Documentation Form will provide a framework for future nominations but will not itself designate properties. That means the document, as described by the state, does not by itself establish which Long Beach historic sites, landmarks or cultural institutions qualify or where they fall relative to the proposed study area.
The Press Telegram described the proposed district as an effort to recognize Black history and culture in Long Beach, support Black-owned businesses and institutions, and respond to community advocacy around cultural equity. The same report said the initiative is proceeding alongside the city’s work on a separate LGBTQ+ cultural district.
Statements and next steps
The Press Telegram reported that Sixth District Councilmember Suely Saro characterized the study as a significant advance for an area with a long Black history and cultural legacy. Eighth District Councilmember Tunua Thrash-Ntuk pointed to the Sixth District’s churches, food businesses, small businesses and other institutions as central to Black life in Long Beach. Cindy Allen was absent from the vote, the report said.
The Press Telegram also reported that Sharon Diggs-Jackson, a lifelong Long Beach resident whose family has lived in the city since 1939, hopes the district will be operating by 2028. The feasibility study is expected to inform proposed boundaries and public-realm strategies; any permanent district would come later.
