Collection Spotlight: Lucille Stewart and Los Angeles During the War

The Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection is made up of dozens of individual collections, each telling a different story about the history of the region. Lucille Stewart was a local photographer who, prior to opening her own camera and stationary store, had been a staff photographer at City Hall during the tenure of Mayor Fletcher Bowron. Through her images, we get a glimpse into the daily political life of elected officials before, during, and after World War II with an emphasis on the Mayor’s office and the campaign of Helen Gahagan Douglas, who in 1944 became the first Democratic woman elected to Congress from California. Through Stewart’s lens, we’re able to have intimate access to people and events during a pivotal time in our nation’s history.