In the News

By Ben Levine

Downtown Los Angeles is set to put a major piece of civil rights history right on its front steps. On Wednesday, the federal courthouse at 350 W. First Street will be formally named for trailblazing parents and plaintiffs Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez.

Officials plan a ribbon-cutting at 2:30 p.m., followed by a 4 p.m. naming ceremony in the building’s ceremonial courtroom.

According to MyNewsLA, the ribbon-cutting will take place in front of the courthouse, with the 4 p.m. program moving inside to the ceremonial courtroom. The structure will carry the new title of the Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez U.S. Courthouse.

The renaming was authorized by Congress through H.R.5754, which designates the courthouse at 350 W. First Street; the legislation is recorded on Congress.gov. President Biden signed the measure into law in January 2025, according to a press release from Rep. Jimmy Gomez’s office. “I’m proud the president signed into law my bipartisan bill honoring Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez,” Gomez said in that release.

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