Mar 21st, 2008 · Writers respond to the revelation that a memoir describing a woman's childhood as a half-white, half-Native-American girl on the streets of South Central Los Angeles was actually written by a white girl from an affluent suburb.
Mar 4th, 2008 · Margaret Jones' memoir, Love and Consequences, recounts her early days selling drugs in South Central Los Angeles as well as her eventual escape to college and publishing. If it sounds too good to be true, that's because it is. The story is just the latest in a string of frauds that have rocked the publishing industry. Robert Siegel talks with Sara Nelson, editor-in-chief of Publishers Weekly.
Mar 4th, 2008 · Margaret Seltzer admitted to The New York Times that Love and Consequences, which describes a childhood on the streets of South Central Los Angeles, was made up. Michel Martin had interviewed Seltzer about the book before her confession.
Sep 5th, 2006 · Students in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation's second-largest, head back to school Tuesday. For those who attend Jordan High School in South-Central Los Angeles, near the gang-troubled Jordan Downs projects, Pastor Mike Cummings has a new service to help make sure students get home safe.
Aug 11th, 2006 · Steven Ivory visits South Central Los Angeles to find out what motivates street vendors there. Among the bargains he finds amid the retail offerings: a free massage with the purchase of dog, soda and chips.
Mar 6th, 2006 · Gang violence has spiked dramatically on the streets of Compton, the small city in South-Central Los Angeles that has long been plagued by gangs and drugs. In the first of a two-part series, Luke Burbank reports on the more than 50 active street gangs who contribute to the city's reputation as one of the most violent places in America.
Dec 27th, 2005 · Black and Latino students at Jefferson High School in South Central Los Angeles have been experiencing ongoing racial tension. Commentator S. Pearl Sharp offers this essay on teaching kids the art of conflict resolution.
Jun 30th, 2005 · News and Notes producer Christopher Johnson profiles a group of cricket enthusiasts who play in the most unlikely of places -- the South-Central Los Angeles city of Compton, better known to many for its reputation for gang violence.