Mafundi Institute mural on the historic Mafundi Building in Watts. Photo Credit: Stephen Shafer.
Watts Happening?
We are Watts Happening! We are a community of artists, activists, families, scholars, and nonprofit, government and business leaders who want to preserve the rich and layered Black history in Watts by restoring the historic Mafundi Institute’s Building and create a contemporary space for art, music, poetry, and learning for all residents to enjoy and celebrate.
Join us for this opportunity to preserve the historic Mafundi Building and create a thriving arts and community center for all residents to enjoy and celebrate.
Currently located in the Mafundi Building is the beloved Watts Coffee House, the only full-service, sit down restaurant in Watts.
HistorIC BUILDING
Original Watts Happening Coffee House. Photo credit UCLA Newsroom.
In 1965, two months after the Watts Uprising, a group of citizens converted an abandoned furniture store into a an arts center and named it the Watts Happening Coffee House. In 1967, a collective of artists, musicians and writer from Watts formed the Mafundi Institute and made the Watts Coffee House their home, operating for five years in this location.
This home served as a place to the Watts Writers Workshop and the Watts Prophets, amongst others, and where programming for cultural, civic and artistic Black Angelenos would occur.
Architect’s rendering of the Mafundi Building. Photo Courtesy of UCLA/Gail Kennard.
In 1970, a new structure across the street was built for the Mafundi Institute’s expanding arts, culture and social programs. The new Mafundi Institute’s Building, designed by renowned Black architects Arthur Silvers and Robert Kennard, was called the Watts Happening Cultural Center. At the time, the Watts Happening Cultural Center was considered one of the most prominent cultural centers in Los Angeles, promoting community self-interest and Black-empowerment.
BUILDING OUR COMMUNITY’S FUTURE
A community arts AND
culture space,
For the people, and run by the people.
Desiree Edwards. Photo courtesy of Watts Coffee House.
In 1997, the Watts Coffee House moved into the building, where it currently is the anchor institution. Today, the Watts Coffee House is a soul food restaurant and training center for the community. Operated by local entrepreneur Desiree Edwards, the Watts Coffee House has become a legacy restaurant whose walls are lined with historical memorabilia that tells the story of a salient Watts community.
In 2019, when the legacy of the Mafundi Institute Building became threatened, a community coalition called Friends At Mafundi formed in order to save this precious community resource and are working toward renovating it to its original glory.
On September 29, 2021, the Los Angeles City Council approved a Historic-Cultural Monument designation for the Watts Happening Cultural Center.
Today, the goal is to raise enough funding to renovate the building to offer vibrant programming, all while keeping the Watts Coffee House operating and thriving!
Watts Coffee House Interior. Photo Credit: Stephen Schafer.
Updates
The Watts Happening Cultural Center, Friends At Mafundi, and the Watts Coffee House are committed to maintaining the Mafundi Building as a community space for the people and by the people of Watts, bringing back historic public art programs and exhibition space dedicated to the artists of Watts.
Please follow us for updates.