Shoreline Sanctuary: Reconstructing Los Angeles County's 1939 Heat Wave

Authors:

Eunice Kim, David S. Jones

Date Created:

2025-01-01

Course Title:

Professor:

Not specified

About Paper:

As climate change intensifies, extreme heat has emerged as one of heat waves, the project draws on English and Spanish-language the most urgent environmental and public health challenges of the digitizednewspaperdatabasesfromalloverLosAngelesCountyto 21st century, from southern Europe to New York City and beyond. examine the emergence of beach-going as a form of climatic relief Urban areas are particularly vulnerable, where population density, and social practice. This case study contributes a distinct regional limited green space, and infrastructure amplify heat exposure. and environmental dimension to the project, offering insight Within Professor David S. Jones’ Boston-centric book, our into how heat pressures shaped public culture and adaptation in research looks to the past to better understand the origins and Southern California. Understanding historical responses to heat consequences of urban heat waves on the West, specifically, Los deepens our perspective on current climate challenges and informs Angeles County, California. Focusing on the summer of 1939, more equitable and culturally responsive strategies for surviving a particularly intense year in the history of 20th-century L.A. today.

Abstract:

As climate change intensifies, extreme heat has emerged as one of heat waves, the project draws on English and Spanish-language the most urgent environmental and public health challenges of the digitizednewspaperdatabasesfromalloverLosAngelesCountyto 21st century, from southern Europe to New York City and beyond. examine the emergence of beach-going as a form of climatic relief Urban areas are particularly vulnerable, where population density, and social practice. This case study contributes a distinct regional limited green space, and infrastructure amplify heat exposure. and environmental dimension to the project, offering insight Within Professor David S. Jones’ Boston-centric book, our into how heat pressures shaped public culture and adaptation in research looks to the past to better understand the origins and Southern California. Understanding historical responses to heat consequences of urban heat waves on the West, specifically, Los deepens our perspective on current climate challenges and informs Angeles County, California. Focusing on the summer of 1939, more equitable and culturally responsive strategies for surviving a particularly intense year in the history of 20th-century L.A. today.

Source:

Harvard / Harvard College | Winthrop House | Psychology | 2026 / 2025

Topics:

heat, wave, los, angele, county, climate, environmental, public, challenge, southern, urban, particularly

Co-authors:

@eunicekim150 , @davidsjones151