A black family whose ancestors were robbed of the beach resort they owned in Manhattan Beach nearly 100 years ago could finally get the land back.
If a new bill passes, Los Angeles County officials could hand over the property, currently used as a lifeguard center, to the descendants of Charles and Willa Bruce – who lost their land and business when the city seized it in 1924. reported the Los Angeles Times.
State law is required due to restrictions placed on the property when the state transferred the two lots to LA County in 1995.
“We are here today to introduce a bill that will rectify this gross injustice and return the land to the Bruce family,” Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) said on Friday when he formally introduced the bill. “I hope this legislation will not be the last in a series of state actions to address centuries of gruesome actions against black Americans.”
Bruce family representative Duane Shepard Sr. thanked those who fought to get his family’s land back Friday as she beat Manhattan Beach city officials for refusing to formally apologize for the historic mistake.
“We reserve our rights on this earth to be men, to be women, to be people, to get people’s rights, get people’s respect, in this country at this time and in this society in this damn town, ”Shepard said.
The Bruce family saga began in 1912, when Willa Bruce bought the first of two lots along the Strand between 26th and 27th Street for $ 1,225. Her husband, Charles, worked as a chef in a dining car on trains. Willa turned the site into a thriving resort for black families who were unable to enjoy other beach areas along the coast due to racism.
The place became known as “Bruce’s Beach” and other black families moved to the area and built their own summer cottages.
The Bruces and their guests were threatened and harassed for years by the Ku Klux Klan, among others. Then, in 1924, the city condemned the area and seized more than 20 properties in a prominent domain.
Officials justified the move by claiming there was an urgent need for a public park. But the land stood empty for decades and wasn’t turned into a park until years later, the LA Times said.
LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who started the crusade to return the land, said the county is negotiating with the Bruce family about what’s next. If the bill passes as expected, the county will likely lease the land from the family.
“I think the best part about this is that we get to turn ownership back to the family’s descendants and let them decide what they want to do,” she said. “The California dream was stolen from the Bruce family.”