How One Beach Became a Beacon in Combat Against Racist Policies
Bruce’s Beach is located on a slope overlooking the ocean in Manhattan Beach. During the early 20th century, the beach held a special distinction as a beautiful resort area catering to African Americans. But this beautiful park has an ugly past.
Willa and Charles Bruce, left New Mexico and bought waterfront property just south of Los Angeles in Manhattan Beach. It was an unincorporated and sparsely developed area near the ocean. The couple had to face exclusionary real estate practices while purchasing the land. Despite the barriers, they persisted in opening a resort in 1912.
All they wanted to do was to provide the black Americans beautiful leisure in an area that possessed lush trees, grassy terraces, and many park benches. It was named Bruce’s Beach Lodge and offered black beachgoers a dance hall, dining establishment, bathing suits, and a changing area.
Due to its immense popularity, the beach started to face racial hostility from local white residents. The whites feared a takeover or invasion of the area by the black community. So the white residents set up barricades to stop black beachgoers from gaining access.
The black beachgoers also faced attacks, racially derogatory phone messages, threats, burned mattresses, and slashed tires. The white supremacist did all these to discourage blacks from entering the area.
In 1924, the city of Manhattan beach seized the properties of Bruce and four other families under the guise of building a new public park. After resisting years of harassment and threats from locals, Bruce’s beach was shuttered and demolished.
Later in 1927, a civil disobedience campaign was launched as the city intended to establish a whites-only beach in that area. The protestor succeeded in halting the plans. After that incident, the area remained vacant till 1950. Then a park was hastily built as they feared that the Bruce family would mount a legal battle if the place remained empty.
However, on September 30, 2021, after nearly 100 years, Governor Gavin Newsom made a groundbreaking move by signing into the law Senate Bill 796, which would return the property to the direct descendants of Willa and Charles.
Bruce’s Beach stands as a poignant example of land theft through both the legal system and violence and its impact on black wealth and social advancement. For generations, black property owners have been victimized by unjust property restrictions and eminent domain. It’s time to prove that black property rights are civil rights. We have to keep the legacy of Bruce’s Beach alive by sharing their stormy past so that their story does not get whitewashed or erased.
Bruce’s Beach is located at 2600 Highland Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
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