Beside its massive growth, the most distinctive change in Los Angeles’s population in the second half of the 20th century was its rapid transformation into one of the most diverse and multicultural cities in the United States.
In 1990 Los Angeles became the first of the largest U.S. cities in which no ethnic or racial group formed a majority.
According to the 2000 census, non-Hispanic whites made up 30.1 percent of the population of the City of Los Angeles, blacks 11.2 percent, Asians 10 percent, Native Americans 0.8 percent, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders 0.2 percent.
Hispanics, who may be of any race, made up 46.5 percent of the city’s people.
Los Angeles County also transformed into a diverse and multicultural area.
In 1960 non-Hispanic whites made up 82 percent of the population of Los Angeles County.
At the 2000 census, non-Hispanic whites made up only 31.1 percent of the county’s population, Asians 11.9 percent, blacks 9.8 percent, Native Americans 0.8 percent, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders 0.3 percent.
Hispanics, who may be of any race, accounted for 44.6 percent of the population.
The transformation of the city’s ethnic character is attributable primarily to 1965 reforms in U.S. immigration policy, officially ending bias in favor of Northern European immigrants and opening the doors to massive immigration from Latin America and Asia.
Los Angeles, with its historic connections to and proximity with Mexico, as well as its prominent position on the Pacific Rim, became the nation's leading port of entry for immigrants.
In the early 21st century, more than 20 languages were spoken in the public schools, the principal languages being English and Spanish.
Literally hundreds of religions and denominations are practiced in Los Angeles, especially Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism.
After 1965, the Hispanic (often called Latino in California) population grew rapidly. The Mexican community is particularly significant, making up 79 percent of the region’s Hispanic population.
More Mexicans live in Los Angeles than in any city except Mexico City. The region has also attracted large numbers of immigrants from Central America. People from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua form the largest Hispanic communities after those of Mexican origin.
In 2005 Los Angeles elected its first Hispanic mayor since 1872, when it was a small frontier town of about 6,000 people. Antonio Villaraigosa, a Mexican American, fashioned a broad coalition that included Latinos, blacks, Asian Americans, and whites in winning about 59 percent of the vote.
Asian peoples began migrating to the region in large numbers during the Gold Rush of 1849. Chinese were the most numerous Asian group until the early 20th century, when large numbers of Japanese immigrants temporarily supplanted them.
A community of Korean political exiles settled in Los Angeles during the years of the Japanese occupation of Korea (1905-1945) and became the nucleus of a much larger Korean American community after 1965.
By 1990 Los Angeles was home to the largest Korean community outside of Korea itself. Filipinos have immigrated to Los Angeles primarily in search of economic opportunity.
Vietnamese have come to the region principally as refugees since the end of the Vietnam War (1959-1975) and the start of new conflicts in Southeast Asia in the 1970s.
In 2000 the largest Asian groups in Los Angeles County were Chinese (29.0 percent), Filipinos (22.9 percent) Koreans (16.4 percent), Japanese (9.8 percent), and Vietnamese (6.9 percent).
Los Angeles, with more than 600,000 Jews, is home to the second-largest Jewish community in the United States after greater New York.
Jews from Eastern and Northern Europe first settled in the area in the 19th century, and Jewish immigration increased dramatically during Germany’s Nazi dictatorship from 1933 to 1945.
After World War II large groups of Jews from the Middle East also made their home in Los Angeles. Prominent among these later Jewish immigrants are refugees from the 1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran, who usually call themselves Persians.
Other large southwest Asian and Middle Eastern communities include Armenians, Arabs, Iranians, and Israelis. These groups have grown dramatically since 1970 primarily because of conflict in their home regions, but also because of the search for educational and economic opportunities.
In 1990 Los Angeles became the first of the largest U.S. cities in which no ethnic or racial group formed a majority.
According to the 2000 census, non-Hispanic whites made up 30.1 percent of the population of the City of Los Angeles, blacks 11.2 percent, Asians 10 percent, Native Americans 0.8 percent, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders 0.2 percent.
Hispanics, who may be of any race, made up 46.5 percent of the city’s people.
Los Angeles County also transformed into a diverse and multicultural area.
In 1960 non-Hispanic whites made up 82 percent of the population of Los Angeles County.
At the 2000 census, non-Hispanic whites made up only 31.1 percent of the county’s population, Asians 11.9 percent, blacks 9.8 percent, Native Americans 0.8 percent, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders 0.3 percent.
Hispanics, who may be of any race, accounted for 44.6 percent of the population.
The transformation of the city’s ethnic character is attributable primarily to 1965 reforms in U.S. immigration policy, officially ending bias in favor of Northern European immigrants and opening the doors to massive immigration from Latin America and Asia.
Los Angeles, with its historic connections to and proximity with Mexico, as well as its prominent position on the Pacific Rim, became the nation's leading port of entry for immigrants.
In the early 21st century, more than 20 languages were spoken in the public schools, the principal languages being English and Spanish.
Literally hundreds of religions and denominations are practiced in Los Angeles, especially Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism.
After 1965, the Hispanic (often called Latino in California) population grew rapidly. The Mexican community is particularly significant, making up 79 percent of the region’s Hispanic population.
More Mexicans live in Los Angeles than in any city except Mexico City. The region has also attracted large numbers of immigrants from Central America. People from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua form the largest Hispanic communities after those of Mexican origin.
In 2005 Los Angeles elected its first Hispanic mayor since 1872, when it was a small frontier town of about 6,000 people. Antonio Villaraigosa, a Mexican American, fashioned a broad coalition that included Latinos, blacks, Asian Americans, and whites in winning about 59 percent of the vote.
Asian peoples began migrating to the region in large numbers during the Gold Rush of 1849. Chinese were the most numerous Asian group until the early 20th century, when large numbers of Japanese immigrants temporarily supplanted them.
A community of Korean political exiles settled in Los Angeles during the years of the Japanese occupation of Korea (1905-1945) and became the nucleus of a much larger Korean American community after 1965.
By 1990 Los Angeles was home to the largest Korean community outside of Korea itself. Filipinos have immigrated to Los Angeles primarily in search of economic opportunity.
Vietnamese have come to the region principally as refugees since the end of the Vietnam War (1959-1975) and the start of new conflicts in Southeast Asia in the 1970s.
In 2000 the largest Asian groups in Los Angeles County were Chinese (29.0 percent), Filipinos (22.9 percent) Koreans (16.4 percent), Japanese (9.8 percent), and Vietnamese (6.9 percent).
Los Angeles, with more than 600,000 Jews, is home to the second-largest Jewish community in the United States after greater New York.
Jews from Eastern and Northern Europe first settled in the area in the 19th century, and Jewish immigration increased dramatically during Germany’s Nazi dictatorship from 1933 to 1945.
After World War II large groups of Jews from the Middle East also made their home in Los Angeles. Prominent among these later Jewish immigrants are refugees from the 1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran, who usually call themselves Persians.
Other large southwest Asian and Middle Eastern communities include Armenians, Arabs, Iranians, and Israelis. These groups have grown dramatically since 1970 primarily because of conflict in their home regions, but also because of the search for educational and economic opportunities.
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