Obama Boulevard

President Barack Obama Boulevard, or commonly Obama Boulevard, is a major thoroughfare in the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw area of the city of Los Angeles. It stretches 3.5 miles (5.6 km) from Baldwin Hills (past Baldwin Village and Crenshaw) to Leimert Park.[1]

Obama Boulevard
Maintained byLos Angeles County Department of Public Works
Length3.5 miles (5,600 m)
LocationLos Angeles, California.

History

Previously called Rodeo Road (pronounced "rodeo"[2] and not to be confused with Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills), it was renamed President Barack Obama Boulevard on May 4, 2019. The Los Angeles Times characterized the renaming as impactful for local residents as it honors the first African American U.S. president, and as a symbol of resistance to aspects of the post-Obama presidency.[2][3] The city already has streets named after U.S. presidents, such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson, as well as a street named for Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King - the former "Santa Barbara Avenue", thus renamed, and commonly known since the early 1980s as "King Boulevard". Then-Senator Obama held a campaign rally at Rancho Cienega Park when running for his first term as president.[4]

Commercial
Baldwin Hills Shopping Center at Obama and La Brea boulevards

The former Rodeo Road's intersection with La Brea Avenue has been a commercial nexus since the mid-20th century, with the Baldwin Hills Shopping Center[5] (not to be confused with the larger Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza indoor mall) opening in 1954 with anchors Safeway, Clark's Drug Store and J. J. Newberry;[6] today the anchor tenants are Ralphs supermarket and CVS Pharmacy. The La Cienega–Rodeo Shopping Center had the Fedco warehouse club as an anchor,[7] and is now anchored by Target. From the intersection of Obama and Crenshaw Boulevards, a commercial strip stretches down Crenshaw Boulevard to the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza.

References
  1. Google Maps, retrieved May 8, 2019
  2. Díaz, Alexa (May 4, 2019). "Street officially renamed Obama Boulevard in Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw ceremony". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
  3. Díaz, Alexa (May 4, 2019). "Obama Boulevard is a symbol of hope — and resistance — for Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw area". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  4. Reyes-Velarde, Alejandra (August 28, 2018). "L.A's newest street: Obama Boulevard". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  5. Winter, Robert (September 2009). An Arch Guidebook to Los Angeles. ISBN 9781423608936.
  6. "Safeway to Open New Store in Baldwin Hills". Los Angeles Times. August 16, 1959. Retrieved May 8, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Slaughter, Leonard S.; Streeter, Leonard L. (1975). "Economic analysis and business feasibility study of South Central Los Angeles".
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