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on April 15, 1907, to Leon and
Blanche Washington, Leon H. Washington Jr. was the only son of three children, alongside his sisters Juanita and Barbara Washington. Leon became an iconic figure in the African American fight for equality in the twentieth century through his Los Angeles-based newspaper,
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as a “potent vehicle to gain respect for the Black community from the larger society.” He details a series of peaceful protests against white shop owners operating in Black communities refusing to hire Black workers in which he brings back the 1930s boycott slogan, “Don’t Spend Your Money Where You
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Washington used the
Sentinel to advocate for economic reform as a way to reduce inequality in the United States. He encouraged his African American audience to become entrepreneurs just as he had, to venture out and find the success he had found. Washington advertised the idea of peaceful protests
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headquarters, which moved from the corner of
Central Avenue and E. 43rd Street in Los Angeles to Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles. Friends of Washington highlighted the authenticity of his articles and the newspaper as a whole, noting the prominence of his personality in each edition. One friend
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Today, the city of Los
Angeles celebrates the life of Leon H. Washington through the dedication of a Los Angeles Public Library branch in his name as well as a Los Angeles County park. The park, located almost ten miles from
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Washington directed the newspaper and its content toward
African American communities in this area. Within a year, the newspaper became successful enough for Washington to afford to change the title to the
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was the longest-running and most circulated newspaper in the state. Washington became one of the newspaper's advertising salesmen. Three years later, Washington left this position and started
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saw a peak circulation of 39,277 and
Washington had built a staff of 50. Upon his death, his widow, Ruth, took over in his position and worked the job until she also died in 1990.
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who come by the park to spend time with and enrich their communities, a goal to which Leon
Washington dedicated his own life. His dedication is shown through the continuation of
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urged him to move to Los
Angeles where he practiced and resided. In 1930, Leon Washington moved to Los Angeles, California from Kansas City, Kansas. Miller connected him with
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shared that
Washington, “epitomized ‘personalized’ journalism.” Today, the Sentinel is the largest, most popular black newspaper in the West.
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photographers, Ruth
Brumell. After almost a decade of marriage, he began to experience numerous health problems and eventually had a
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in Topeka, Kansas. After graduating from Washburn, Washington began his first job as an independent clothes salesman.
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191:(April 15, 1907 – June 17, 1974) was an American newspaper publisher. He was the founder and first publisher of the
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Can’t Work.” Amidst one peaceful demonstration turned wrong, Washington was wrongly arrested and jailed by the
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In 1930 Washington moved to Los Angeles, California by recommendation of his cousin, civil rights attorney
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Washington continued to work as the publisher for the paper until he died in 1974. During his tenure, the
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and nonviolent demonstrations to fight discrimination in his newspaper. Washington used
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https://www.newspapers.com/image/382028247/?terms=%22Leon%2BH.%2BWashington%22
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https://calisphere.org/item/3c9359f94456037f4bf5fac09ed6fd46/
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https://parks.lacounty.gov/col-leon-h-washington-park/
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today, which now boasts a readership of over 125,000.
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briefly. Washington spent three years working for the
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