Calvin Hicks moved to Los Angeles in 1967 from Mt. Carbon, West Virginia. In 1984, along with Roland Charles, he co-founded the Black Gallery and the group Black Photographers of California. The Calvin Hicks collection consists of over 2,800 images. The collection is made up primarily of fine art photography, nature shots, and public events such as the Central Avenue Jazz Festival. The collection contains substantial documentation of the world-famous Venice Beach, which provides a showcase for eclectic street performers and individuals as well as members of the community, artists and tourists.
