On September 4, 1781, a group of settlers, including Black settlers, founded the city of Los Angeles, California. The settlement was established under the name “El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles,” which translates to “The Town of Our Lady the Queen of Angels.”

Among the 44 settlers, there were African, African American, and Indigenous individuals, some of whom were formerly enslaved. These Black settlers, often referred to as Los Negros or Los Mulatos, were essential to the development of early Los Angeles. They were granted land and freedom as part of the settlement’s foundation, which set the tone for the city’s diverse cultural makeup. Their contributions, alongside the Spanish and Indigenous people, laid the groundwork for what would later become one of the largest cities in the United States.

The role of African and African American settlers in the founding of Los Angeles is often underrepresented in historical narratives, but their presence and participation in shaping the city’s early days are significant and part of a broader history of Black contributions to the development of California.