An exploratory expedition of several persons led by Gaspar de Portola moved to the area of the north, now called Los Angeles, where they camped in a river where fertile soil and availability of water for irrigation impressed the group. The father Juan Crespi, who accompanied the group, saw the location like having all the requirements for a large settlement. He named to the river “El Rio de Nuestra Se๑ora la Reyna de Los Angeles de Porciuncula”, over time on April 4, 1850 the area became as the City of the Angels.Africans and Americans in Los Angeles, Despite Los Angeles is the only main city of the country founded by settlers who were predominantly of African descent, this had only 2,100 Africans and Americans in the 1900 census; by 1920, there were approximately 15,000. In 1910, the city had the highest percentage of black home ownership in the nation.Mexicans, Pachucos, Chicanos and Latinos in Los Angeles, a constant migration of Mexicans to California from 1910 to 1930 expanded the Mexican and Chicano population in Los Angeles to approximately 200,000. In 1930, the United States began deporting over a half a million Mexicans and Chicanos from California and 13,332 from Los Angeles County in the years 30.Asians in Los Angeles: after founding Los Angeles, China was a prosper community adjacent to the downtown railroad depot. Thousands of Chinese came to California in 1850s, initially to join the Gold Rush and then taking construction jobs with the railroads.On April 1, 1850 the people of Los Angeles County affirmed their newly self-government and elected a three-man Court of Sessions as their first governing body. A total of 377 votes were cast in this election. In 1852 the Legislature dissolved the Court of Sessions and created a five-member Board of Supervisors. In 1913 the citizens of Los Angeles County approved a charter recommended by a board of freeholders which gave the County greater freedom to govern itself within the framework of state law.The City of Los Angeles remained mainly within its 28 square miles (73 kmฒ) until 1890. The first large additions were the districts of Highland Park and Garvanza to the north, and the South Los Angeles area. In 1906 was approved the Port of Los Angeles and a change in state law allowed the city to annex the Shoestring, or Harbor Gateway, a narrow and crooked strip of land leading from Los Angeles south towards the port.
