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October 25, 2025 | Phoenix Hall, Watts Labor Community Action Committee, Los Angeles

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On October 25, 2025, the Hefflin Legacy Foundation celebrated a historic milestone with the official launch of The Impresario Leon Hefflin and the World's First Annual Jazz Festival, written by Deborah Swan, granddaughter of legendary impresario Leon Hefflin Sr.

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The celebration marked the culmination of years of dedicated research, discovery, and determination to bring a nearly forgotten chapter of American music history back into the spotlight. Through hundreds of rare photographs, historical documents, personal stories, and archival discoveries, this extraordinary 555-page publication chronicles the life and achievements of the visionary entrepreneur who launched the world's first annual jazz festival in Los Angeles in 1945.

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Surrounded by family, friends, supporters, and members of the community, the occasion was more than a book launch. It was a celebration of perseverance, family heritage, and the power of preserving history for future generations.

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A story once nearly forgotten is now a legacy preserved in print.