This shot of college students from the University of Southern California surveying Fourth Street in downtown Los Angeles is, at least to my mind, remarkable in one way. Look at how college kids in 1912 dressed. These lads didn’t dress for church or a Saturday night dance. This is the way they dressed to survey the streets of downtown LA! Obviously the traffic on Fourth isn’t exactly knocking them over but jacket, neckties, stiff collars, and hats? My favorite is Mr. Beau Brummell in the derby and what appears to be cowboy boots.
The guy in the bowler looks very familiar. And the guy at left looks black?
I hadn’t noticed the guy on the left. You’re right, he could be…but did they accept black students back then?