Port of Los Angeles Centennial Oral History Project

  • Collection DOI:
    Principal Investigator:
    Marifrances Trivelli
  • The Port of Los Angeles celebrated its Centennial on December 9, 2007.  As part of the Port of Los Angeles Centennial Oral History Project, these interviews feature various members of the Los Angeles Harbor Area community who were interviewed in 2007 to document different eras in Port history.

Interviewee Collection Sort ascending Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Roy Coats Port of Los Angeles Centennial Oral History Project

Oral history interview with Roy Coats. 

Unknown Los Angeles, CA The Port of Los Angeles
Stephanie Mardesich Port of Los Angeles Centennial Oral History Project

 

 

Unknown Los Angeles, CA The Port of Los Angeles
Rawlin Nelson Port of Los Angeles Centennial Oral History Project

Oral history interview with Rawlin Nelson.

Unknown Los Angeles, CA The Port of Los Angeles
Vern Hall Port of Los Angeles Centennial Oral History Project

Vernon Hall was born in San Pedro in 1936. He grew up in San Pedro, attended UCLA to study engineering, and then came back to San Pedro, where he lives today. His grandfather is Swedish, lived in Minnesota until they moved to San Pedro in 1905.  His grandfather and father were machinists who worked on ships in the harbor. 

Unknown Los Angeles, CA The Port of Los Angeles
Ron Reddick Port of Los Angeles Centennial Oral History Project

Oral history interview with Rod Reddick. 

Unknown Los Angeles, CA The Port of Los Angeles
Irene Almeida Port of Los Angeles Centennial Oral History Project

Irene Almeida was born on August 20th, 1929, in her family home in San Pedro, California, on 18th Street. A midwife attended her birth, as was common at the time. Her father, a small fishing boat owner, was out at sea when she was born. By the time she was born, her mother, who had married at 15, was 19 and found it challenging to take care of three children, prompting her father to eventually switch from fishing to longshoring for a living. Irene's parents were immigrants from Madeira Island, a volcanic island off the coast of Africa.

Unknown Los Angeles, CA The Port of Los Angeles
George Pasha Port of Los Angeles Centennial Oral History Project

Oral history interview with George Pasha.

Unknown Los Angeles, CA The Port of Los Angeles
Dave Arian Port of Los Angeles Centennial Oral History Project

Dave Arian was born in 1946 in Los Angeles and grew up in the harbor area near Terminal Island. His father, known as "honest Lou," was a longshoreman and a significant influence on Arian's life. Arian began his career on the waterfront in 1969 and became involved in the labor movement, eventually serving as the international president of the union. He was elected president of Local 13 in 1984, a position he held for a significant period. His commitment to building future leadership marked Arian's involvement in the labor movement.

Unknown Los Angeles, CA The Port of Los Angeles
Justine Arian Port of Los Angeles Centennial Oral History Project

Oral history interview with Justine Arian.

Unknown Los Angeles, CA The Port of Los Angeles
Enrico Salvo Port of Los Angeles Centennial Oral History Project

Enrico Salvo, an Italian native born in 1927, immigrated to the United States in 1955. His initial encounter with San Pedro came through his role as a merchant marine officer, a position that paved the way for his eventual settlement in Los Angeles. In the bustling city, Salvo carved out a career in logistics and transportation, demonstrating his acumen in the field by acquiring the company he was employed with.

Unknown Los Angeles, CA The Port of Los Angeles