Intermarriage in Los Angeles, 1924-33

Los Angeles in recent decades has had a large infiltration of various ethnic elements and a considerable amount of intermarriage. This study examines the intermarriages of the principal ethnic minorities, namely, the Mexicans, Japanese, Filipinos, Chinese, American Indians, and Negroes, for the decade 1924-33. The Mexicans, Filipinos, and American Indians showed a high rate of intermarriage; the Japanese, Chinese, and Negroes a low rate. The study seems to indicate that Los Angeles during the period in question had a higher rate of interracial marriage than comparable areas. This seems to be due to the presence in the community of a relatively high proportion of Mexicans, Filipinos, ana American Indians, who were permitted by law to intermarry with whites. The study also shows that for the most part the sex ratio was responsible for the rate of intermarriage and the culture background determined the sources from which the mates were derived.