I have been researching American brothels in the early years of the
20th century--1920, 1930 or so.  My questions--were brothels
integrated?, that is, were there black or Asian hookers in the same
houses as whites, or were they separate?; and what kind of birth
control did the girls use?--have been difficult to find.  Every time I
Google a question, I either get a biography of Margaret Sanger or a
link to NAKEDCHIXNOW!!!, etc.  Help?

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Request for Question Clarification by luciaphile-ga on 20 Dec 2002 12:32 PST

Are you interested in a particular region of America or would a
general look at the nation be all right? Thanks.

Regards,
luciaphile-ga

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Clarification of Question by checkm8-ga on 20 Dec 2002 20:43 PST

I am interested in California--specifically Lake Arrowhead, near Los Angeles.

Thanks for your time!

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Clarification of Question by checkm8-ga on 20 Dec 2002 23:13 PST

Now I realize I need later dates--'30s/'40s.  Hope that makes it SLIGHTLY easier...

checkm8 -

I've done some research, and did manage to break through the
"noise..." - but could not find anything that relates directly to your
interests.  Did, however, find some sources on integration, but of the
customer/prostitute kind -

First, a historical narrative of Maryland in the early twentieth
century provides some information about local (Maryland) customs, e.g.
–

“Brothels in Baltimore were exempt, provided they maintained separate
waiting rooms for whites and blacks.”

This narrative can be found at –

http://mdhc.neutralgood.org/essays.php?essay=32

And – something about segregation in Las Vegas –

“…as early as the teens, high-ranking officials of the Las Vegas Land
and Water Company attempted to confine blacks to a portion of the
townsite that abutted the infamous Block 16--home to Las Vegas's first
saloons and brothels. These attempts at segregation failed...for the
time being.”

http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/features/historyx.html

Some information about Chinese prostitutes in San Francisco before the
turn of the century –

“By 1920 organized prostitution had declined due to antiprostitution
laws, the Chinese Exclusion Act, and successful rescue raids by
Protestant missionaries.”

http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/women/html/wm_005800_chineseameri.htm

In New Orleans, interracial brothels were outlawed in 1857 –

http://www.umkc.edu/imc/neworlea.htm

Blues and jazz (apparently, “jass” means sex in early twentieth
century African American slang?) may have infiltrated white society
through brothels and saloons, per the following account – “They could
be heard most often in
saloons and brothels” – 

http://www.bookrags.com/books/blexp/PART11.htm

And here’s a quote from an online history of West Virginia –

“"In thinking of this I am reminded of the days just after the close
of the Civil War as described in the `Clansman.' . . . I have heard a
negro man in conversation with another saying he had spent the night
with one of the white girls in [these brothels]."”

http://www.wvculture.org/history/journal_wvh/wvh54-5.html

I hope this will be at least somewhat helpful.

thanks,
ragingacademic