Little India is an Indian enclave centered on Pioneer Boulevard between 183rd and 188th streets in the city of Artesia, California. It is the largest Indian enclave in southern California.[1] As of 2003, approximately 120 shops in the area catered to Indian customers.[2] Though (as of 2004) less than 5% of the city's population was Indian American, Little India contributed approximately a quarter of the city's sales tax receipts.[3]
In 1965, the Immigration and Nationality Act abolished restrictive quotas on immigrants from certain regions.[1] During the ensuing increase in immigration from India to the United States, many Indians settled in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.[1] The region's first Indian grocery store was initially established in Hollywood, but it relocated to Artesia in 1970 at the behest of Indians living in Orange County.[1] Other Indian immigrants also settled in Artesia in the 1970s, which was relatively inexpensive at the time.[1] As of 1986, there were about 25 Indian businesses on Pioneer Boulevard; the number had grown to about 90 (or 80% of the retail businesses in the core area) as of 1995.[4] [5]
In the 1980s and 1990s, there were tensions in the community between Indian businesses/residents and non-Indian businesses/residents.[6] [7] Some local politicians proposed signage officially designating the area as "Little India" in 2004, but this proved divisive.[8] Many opposed such signage on the grounds that it would improperly privilege one ethnic group in a diverse area. Ultimately, the area was designated the Artesia International and Cultural Shopping District on street signs.[9]
As of the late 2010s and early 2020s, the area had begun to struggle as a result of competition from Indian businesses elsewhere in the Los Angeles area and on the internet.[10]
Cultural events held in Little India include celebrations of Indian Independence Day, Diwali, and Navratri.[1] The largest Indian immigrant newspaper in southern California is based in Artesia.[2]