Bruce’s Beach existed as a safe space for Black families to enjoy the beach at a time when racism prohibited people of colour from doing so elsewhere. Almost 100 years after being seized by the city, the land is expected to be returned to Bruce’s descendent
Bruce's Beach existed as a safe space for Black families to enjoy the beach at a time when racism prohibited people of colour from doing so elsewhere. Almost 100 years after being seized by the city, the land is expected to be returned to Bruce's descendents.
Willa Bruce bought the land back in 1912 for $1,225 and operated a lodge, cafe, and dance hall. According to The New York Post, the area quickly turned into a Black community as others bought and built cottages. The Ku Klux Klan and racist neighbours harassed the Black residents.
In 1924, the city seized the land, citing an "urgent need for a public park". However, it was reported that the Bruce's land sat empty, and was transferred to the state in 1948, and eventually to the county in 1995.
As The Los Angeles Times reports, California Senator Steven Bradford will introduce a bill on Monday that would "allow Los Angeles County, which currently runs a lifeguard center on the site, to transfer the property to the Bruce family".
The bill, which is expected to pass, would help begin to right the many wrongs that Black Americans have endured.
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