Charles Anderson was the first of his family, who settled in Altadena, California. After he grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and served in the Korean War, the army relocated Charles to California, where he bought a home on Glenrose Street in the area of Los Angeles. Soon after, most of his 15 brothers and sisters, including Herman and Oscar, joined him to follow the waves of black people who had left Georgia to find better opportunities in other places.
At that time, Altadena, located under the foothill of San Gabriel Mountain, was not rich or highly sought for living, and its outskirts were relatively inaccessible. Some black families settled in the western part of Altadena, in a neighborhood called "Midoz," among which was the first black fireman Wilfred Duncan.
Anton Anderson, who grew up in Altadena, noted: "If you want to buy a beautiful big house with a basement or other amenities, you come to Altadena," adding: "The middle class of black people preferred this area." New arrivals
The newcomers from Uganda, like the Anderson family, changed the ethnic composition of Altadena. While in 1960, 95% of its residents were white, by 1980 the number of black residents grew to 43%. After the implementation of the Rumford Act in California in 1963 for equal housing and the Fair Housing Act of 1968, as well as the weakening of the "redlining" system, which classified black neighborhoods as risky for lenders, the Anderson family continued to acquire real estate, eventually becoming owners of nine houses in the area.
Meeting the family
In 1959, Oscar Anderson's brother Oscar met his future wife Mary, who had come to Altadena from Texas with her mother and grandmother for a dance evening. He later told his children that he knew he would grow old with Mary there. The couple bought a house in west Altadena, where they welcomed five of their seven children.
Ten years later, the family moved due to the planned expansion of highway 210. They relocated north, to Las Flores Drive. Mary, whom family members called "The Law," became a savvy real estate investor and over the next 40 years acquired all the properties in Altadena. Later, as their children Oscar and Mary grew up, these homes were either sold, passed to younger families, or split between them.
Death
The family of Oscar Junions and Lori left Altadena after the fire and never returned since that time. The home of Mary on Las Flores Drive was destroyed, while the home of Oscar and Lori burned down. Their son Julius, who lived in apartments in Altadena with his wife and two children, also lost his home, as did the home of Herman, a relative of Oscar.
Anton and his wife were at their home on Grandview Street during the time of the fire. While they were preparing for evacuation, other relatives began to call and inform about the fire.
