Black couple given plot of land in reparations sells it back to LA for $20 million

The direct descendants of the black couple who were run off of their land and business got a form of "reparations," according to LA County.

In 1912, Charles and Willa Bruce, a black couple, bought the plot of land for $1,225 and opened up a black beach club, reported the Los Angeles Times. These clubs were common in southern California during that period, when segregation kept black people out of "whites-only" beaches.

Facing mounting pressure from racist individuals and groups, including the Ku Klux Klan, city officials condemned the property to eminent domain in 1924, claiming that they needed it to build a park.

According to the Los Angeles County website, no park was actually built until nearly 30 years later, and the real reason for seizing the land was racially motivated.

"It is well documented that the real reason behind the eminent domain process was racially motivated with the intention of bringing an end to the successful Black business and to thwart other African Americans from settling in or developing businesses in Manhattan Beach," the government site reads.

The county ended up forcing the black couple off of their land, paying them only $14,000 when the plot was actually valued at $70,000, according to Daily Mail. The Bruces left the beach and closed their business.

According to their family, they never financially recovered. In July 2022, LA County returned the land to direct descendants Marcus and Derrick Bruce as well as Derrick's sons, Anthony and Michael.

"It destroyed their chance at the American Dream. I wish they could see what has happened today," Anthony said when the land was finally returned.

On Tuesday, it was announced that the Bruces had opted to cash out on the land instead.

The chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Janice Hahn, stated that the selling of the land will help rebuild "generational wealth" that the family lost out on after their great-grandparents' business was destroyed.

"This fight has always been about what is best for the Bruce family, and they feel what is best for them is selling this property back to the county for nearly $20 million and finally rebuilding the generational wealth they were denied for nearly a century," she said.

"This is what reparations look like and it is a model that I hope government across the country will follow," the county official added.