Empty streets, dirty cops, and a bittersweet Bourdain story
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A recent Oaklandside article by Azucena Rasilla contrasts the late 1940s, when Oakland had dozens of movie theaters, “many of them downtown,” with the current cinema landscape, which is much more sparse. The rise of television sparked this downfall and the number of theaters continued to plummet along with subsequent waves of new technology (VCRs, DVDs, streaming, etc).
I read this article with mixed feelings because while I enjoy the occasional flick at Grand Lake Theater or New Parkway and would love to see more local theaters, I probably only go out to the movies a handful of times per year. Unless it’s a special occasion, I’d rather save the money and watch something from the convenience and comfort of my couch. In other words, I'm part of the reason why "downtown Oakland is a movie theater wasteland." The issue of people staying at home instead of venturing out for culture and entertainment is, of course, much bigger than movie theaters.
If you look at pre-WWII photos of downtown Oakland, it’s striking how lively the streets appear. Even though the town’s population was much smaller, it was more concentrated and people led lives that were far less isolated than today. Instead of cars, they rode Key System streetcars. Instead of gaming online, they competed in card rooms and billiard halls. If you wanted to talk to a friend, or even meet a stranger, you’d go to a bar, or a park, or a sporting event, because social media and dating apps didn’t exist. With the ongoing closure of restaurants, shops, and music venues, downtown Oakland often feels eerily quiet these days – a bleak contrast to the bustling streets of the Vaudeville era (or even 2019).
Obviously, pre-TV Oakland wasn’t exactly a utopia of friendship and rainbows. Society was dominated by rampant racism and sexism, smokestacks along the waterfront spewed noxious fumes constantly, and there were many other problems… but an “epidemic of loneliness” was not one of them. People are spending more time at home for many legitimate reasons (economic, safety, etc), but also because technology has made it so simple. Why grab a coffee at that new cafe or check out a local band with a friend when you have DoorDash and Spotify and all your friends are chatting in a Whatsapp group anyway? It may be cheaper and easier to live in an increasingly virtual world, but this isolation comes at a cost that we’re just starting to realize.
Most Oaklanders support the concept of an “activated” downtown and dynamic neighborhoods, but that’s not going to happen if we don’t go out more. It doesn’t have to be dangerous or expensive – there’s safety in numbers if you travel with friends, sites like Funcheap make it easy to find free/affordable activities, and there are bargains everywhere if you know where to look ($6 movie tix at Grand Lake on Tuesdays). Many local DIY party and concert promoters put NOTAFLOF (no one turned away for lack of funds) on fliers to ensure that everyone is welcome, even if you’re broke!
I didn’t intend for this message to veer into such naked boosterism, but I love Oakland, and I’m tired of this “doom loop” narrative becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we want to see lively streets again, it’s up to us to fill them.
EAST BAY YESTERDAY UPDATES
Here are a few of things Emeryville’s police chief was accused of during the 1980s: Setting up secret cameras to film city council members having sex with “hookers” in order to blackmail them; selling guns on the black market; stealing money from the city in order to fund campaigns for political allies; allowing a steel mill to dump toxic “slag balls” into the Bay in exchange for bribes... and the list goes on and on. My latest episode features one of the craziest interviews I’ve ever done. Listen now if you want to hear Eville’s former city manager dish ALL THE DIRT on how police chief John LaCoste “ruled Emeryville with an iron fist.” The episode also features Rob Arias, publisher of The Eville Eye and creator of the Emeryville Historical Society’s new Park Avenue District walking tour. If hearing about Emeryville’s sordid history inspires you to visit, here’s my recent SF Gate article on how to spend “a perfect day” in the tiny town.
Just posted a few new dates for my Richmond history boat tours: April 7 and April 21. We’ll begin at the Emeryville marina, cruise up to East Brother Island and then work our way back along the shoreline. The ride will last three hours and some highlights include Red Rock Island, Richmond Inner Harbor, Brooks Island, Albany Bulb and a few other locations. I’m working on some new stories for the 2024 season, so I hope you can join!
I’ll be making a guest appearance in an upcoming documentary about Walter Gordon, who was the first Black man to graduate from Berkeley’s law school and went on to become a cop, a football coach, and eventually a judge. The film is directed by Doug Gordon, who I interviewed for the Byron Rumford episode, and will be airing on PBS this spring. Tickets to the premiere screening at International House are sold out, but you can see a preview trailer here.
Do you have any good KPFA-related stories? I’m currently developing a presentation for KPFA’s upcoming 75th anniversary and I’m looking for sources. If you have suggestions, please drop me a line! PS: I’m primarily interested in topics that are fun, curious, poignant, or historically relevant – not hearing about the countless feuds, beefs, and ideological battles that have plagued the station since its founding.
If you enjoyed my episode with “Deep Care” author Angela Hume about the history of abortion activism and radical health care, check out this interview that Zack Haber conducted with Hume for Oaklandside. With the terrifying prospects of Trump returning to the White House growing stronger, Hume’s chronicles of resistance are only becoming more relevant.
IN OTHER NEWS
Happy 90th birthday to the East Bay Regional Park District! Callie Rhodes provides an overview of the institution’s history and highlights a few upcoming events here. For an in-depth look at the history of one of the East Bay’s most unique parks, check out this SF Gate feature on Black Diamond Mines. Long before oil refineries lined the northern shoreline of Contra Costa County, coal was this region’s biggest fossil fuel export. In the late 1800s, miners from all around the world converged on this region near present-day Antioch, making it one of the biggest population centers of the rapidly growing Bay Area. Fortunately, the coal extraction ceased long ago, but visitors can still tour remnants of the former boom town. On a side note, a few locals have told me stories of attending wild parties in the abandoned mines during the 1970s. Sounds fun, but incredibly dangerous… I guess that’s what being a teenager is all about!
The Oakland Library will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of Gertrude Stein’s birthday on February 3. Participants are encouraged to come dressed as the famous author “or one of her inner circle.” Readings, crafting, and brownies will also be part of the festivities… and most likely a debate or two about what she *really* meant with the “no there there” quote that has been infamously misconstrued as an insult directed at her home town. (You can watch videos of the library’s previous history events here, including my recent presentation about Mountain View Cemetery.)
Tony Toni Tone’s reunion show at The Paramount was an epic celebration for the legendary Oakland group, who topped charts in the early 90s with their groovy new jack swing anthems. But before the music even started, they brought former Black Panther Party leader Elaine Brown out to share “a history lesson on the rise, fall and rebirth of Oakland’s 7th Street District.” Bravo!
A new Dimond district restaurant called Willow & Pine was just opened by a woman who learned to cook from her grandmother, former owner of “The Barn, a beloved soul food restaurant and community focal point in West Oakland.” According to Oaklandside, “When the neighborhood boomed in the ’50s, singers like Sam Cooke and Lou Rawls would dine at The Barn after performing for crowds at nearby Slim Jenkins.” Judging from a look at Willow and Pine’s menu, owner Michauxnée Olier will be doing her best to honor her family’s delicious legacy.
The Berkeley Historical Society announced their first events of 2024. On January 18, BHS will host a screening of an unfinished documentary about “America’s oldest park ranger” Betty Reid Soskin, a legendary local figure who I interviewed a few years back. And on February 4, author Roger Rapoport will be discussing his new novel about the Symbionese Liberation Army’s infamous kidnapping of Patty Hearst. I’ll be curious to see if the book mentions any possible CIA connection to the SLA, which my guest David Talbot discussed at length in my recent episode on the assassination of Oakland School superintendent Marcus Foster.
January 30 is Fred Korematsu Day, the first state holiday to honor an Asian-American. Korematsu became a civil rights icon after challenging the mass incarceration of Japanese-Americans in so-called “internment camps” during World War II. To shed light on this shameful chapter of American history, and to honor the legacy of those who lived through it, UC Berkeley’s Oral History Center has compiled the Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives. I recommend checking out this massive project, which should be especially useful for educators.
The Mercury News asks: “Is historic preservation just another NIMBY tactic to avoid California housing laws?” Clearly there’s no blanket answer to this question: Whether or not historic preservation laws are being abused must be analyzed on a case-by-case basis. As a history lover, I’m biased in favor of protecting significant structures, but I also recognize the need for more housing and greater density in urban areas (especially locations near mass transit). In the long run, it will probably benefit preservationists to distance themselves from highly questionable applications of these laws or risk sparking a backlash that could weaken well-intentioned regulations (i.e. the “repeal CEQA” movement).
The Fratellanza Club will host a screening of "Finding the Italians – A Granddaughter’s Journey" (and serving ravioli!) on February 18. According to the promo blurb, the film “documents the history of Italians in Oakland, the vibrant story of its Italian social clubs, and the role the clubs played in Italian immigration.”
With razor wire and shipping containers now surrounding People’s Park, it seems as though the battle over this space may have reached its final chapter, as the University prepares the site for construction. Even if the development is delayed indefinitely through lawsuits, the heyday of the Park as a countercultural mecca is long gone. However, if you’re feeling wistful for the old scene, I recommend checking out this interview with Richard Misrach, a photographer who captured Telegraph Avenue’s post-hippie vibe of the early 1970s in this stunning collection…
Thank you to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals for supporting East Bay Yesterday. For over a century, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland has upheld a long legacy of providing essential healthcare for kids and families across the East Bay. Today, UCSF is continuing the tradition of care by making a major investment which includes a new hospital building that will expand critical treatment options for those that need it most. To learn more about the future of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, click here.
FINALLY
After I was quoted in an article about the closure of Ruby Room, a longtime favorite among local lowbrows, one of my IG followers shared this bittersweet memory in the comments. Since everyone loves a good Anthony Bourdain story, here it is…
Thanks for reading – and a huge shoutout to those of you who support East Bay Yesterday through Patreon! It would be *impossible* to keep doing this without your donations. If you’d prefer to support this project through Substack, click the link at the bottom of this email. Thanks!
-Liam
PS: A few East Bay Yesterday t-shirts and hats are still available from Oaklandish stores or their online shop. The design was inspired by the Key System, the Bay Area’s first mass transit network…
