Fresno’s Chinatown is one of the oldest parts of the city. Located across the tracks from downtown, it’s a place where many immigrant groups settled in the days of legalized segregation and housing discrimination. Today on KVPR’s Central Valley Roots, the story of a venue there that played a big role in local Mexican-American history.
The Azteca Theater is a modest venue on F Street in Fresno’s Chinatown, with a tall neon-clad blade sign. While not as flashy as the Warnors or Tower Theater, it’s no less historic.
The Azteca was built in 1948 for owner Gustavo Acosta. Unlike many other theaters in the Valley that at one point showed Spanish language films, the Azteca was the only venue purpose-built to serve the Spanish language audience…