January 6, 2006 :: No. 103

For his contributions to chronicling Southern California’s ethnic history, Lawrence B. de Graaf, emeritus professor of history and a founding faculty member at Cal State Fullerton, has won an award from the Los Angeles City Historical Society.

The society recognized de Graaf for his many books, articles and essays on Western and Los Angeles African American history, as well as his work with community groups, preserving ethnic history. In December, he received the organization’s Miriam Matthews Ethnic History Award, presented “for outstanding works recognizing the ethnic diversity of Los Angeles.”

The Placentia resident’s latest essay on the policies of Los Angeles government toward ethnic and immigrant groups is being included in a soon-to-be-published book. He has served on the city’s Board of Editors for the past five years. In that role, he produced a two-volume history of the government of Los Angeles. On an informal basis, he also has advised several city organizations on matters that concern ethnic history.

At Cal State Fullerton, de Graaf helped establish the History Department and its curriculum, set up the first archive on campus and served as the university’s first archivist. Over the years, he’s become a specialist in Orange County history and the role of African Americans in the modern urban West.

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