Close Menu
Chronicle.ng
    Trending Stories

    Makinde’s ally quits as PDP chair over ‘unjustice, imposition’

    July 7, 2025
    FG warns on Lagdo dam water release

    Benue, Edo, Bayelsa mobilise as Lagdo Dam flood threat looms

    July 7, 2025
    FG offers ‘two month amnesty’ for visa overstay

    FG offers ‘two month amnesty’ for visa overstay

    July 7, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Trending
    • Makinde’s ally quits as PDP chair over ‘unjustice, imposition’
    • Benue, Edo, Bayelsa mobilise as Lagdo Dam flood threat looms
    • FG offers ‘two month amnesty’ for visa overstay
    • Enugu Air to launch domestic flight operations July 7
    • Tragic accident kills 21 in Kano
    • FG hits Multichoice with N766m fine over privacy breaches
    • Kogi group warns Natasha against storming Senate on Tuesday
    • Senate awaits copy of judgment as Natasha plans Tuesday return
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Chronicle.ngChronicle.ng
    Subscribe
    Monday, July 7
    • News
      • Nigeria News
      • World News
      • Headlines News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Sport
    • Entertainment
    • Contact Us
    Chronicle.ng

    US beach returned to black owners after 98 years

    David GreatBy David GreatJune 29, 2022No Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Telegram WhatsApp
    This is a day we weren't sure would ever come, said Anthony Bruce, a great-great grandson of Willa and Charles Bruce Beach
    "This is a day we weren't sure would ever come", said Anthony Bruce, a great-great grandson of Willa and Charles Bruce
    Facebook Twitter WhatsApp

    A prime beachfront resort seized from its black owners nearly 100 years ago has been returned to their descendants by officials in Los Angeles.

    Bruce’s Beach was purchased in 1912 to create a beach resort for black people at a time of racial segregation in southern California.

    Located in the desirable city of Manhattan Beach, it was forcibly taken by the local council in 1924.

    But on Tuesday, Los Angeles officials voted to return the land to the family.

    Willa and Charles Bruce bought the two lots of land for $1,225 in 1912. The beach is now worth an estimated $20m (£16.45m).

    Willa told a reporter at the time: “Wherever we have tried to buy land for a beach resort, we have been refused, but I own this land and I am going to keep it.”

    Over the next decade, Bruce’s Beach became a “citadel for African Americans coming there for leisure from all over the rest of southern California,” family spokesman Chief Duane “Yellow Feather” Shepard told the BBC last year.

    But the local police department put up signs limiting parking to 10 minutes, and another local landowner put up no trespassing signs, forcing people to walk half a mile to reach the water, he said.

    When those measures failed to deter visitors, the local authorities seized the land under eminent domain laws – designed to let the government forcibly buy land needed for roads and other public buildings.

    Officials claimed they planned to build a park. That did not happen until many decades later, and the area remained vacant in the interim.

    • Coronavirus: Americans flock to beaches on Memorial Day weekend

    On Tuesday, the motion to return the land acknowledged, “it is well documented that this move was a racially motivated attempt to drive out the successful black business and its patrons”.

    The monument and plaque at Bruce's Beach, photographed in 2021
    A commemorative monument at the beach is often adorned with tributes – and a wedding photo of the pioneering Bruces
    The return is the result of a lengthy campaign and difficult process. The beach has for years featured a memorial plaque to Willa and Charles, and the state legislature had to pass a law to allow the return of the property.

    Now, the city will lease the land from the family for $413,000 a year – with a clause allowing the future purchase of the land for up to $20m plus costs, according to the lease agreement.

    “This is a day we weren’t sure would ever come,” Anthony Bruce, a great-great grandson of Willa and Charles said – calling it “bittersweet”.

    “It destroyed them financially. It destroyed their chance at the American Dream. I wish they could see what has happened today,” he said.

    “We hope this opens people’s eyes to a part of American history that isn’t talked about enough, and we think it’s a step toward trying to right the wrongs of the past.”

    And the impact of the seizure is arguably still felt today, Mr Shepard has previously said.

    “We were just ousted from that community… there’s only 1% representation of African Americans in Manhattan beach at this time,” he said – a figure backed by the city’s census data.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Telegram WhatsApp

    Keep Reading

    Makinde’s ally quits as PDP chair over ‘unjustice, imposition’

    FG warns on Lagdo dam water release

    Benue, Edo, Bayelsa mobilise as Lagdo Dam flood threat looms

    FG offers ‘two month amnesty’ for visa overstay

    FG offers ‘two month amnesty’ for visa overstay

    Enugu Air to launch domestic flight operations July 7

    Enugu Air to launch domestic flight operations July 7

    Tragic accident kills 21 in Kano

    Tragic accident kills 21 in Kano

    MultiChoice slashes DStv decoder price by 50% amid falling subscriptions

    FG hits Multichoice with N766m fine over privacy breaches

    Add A Comment
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Subscribe to News

    Be the first to get the latest news updates from ChronicleNG about world, sports, politics etc

    Makinde’s ally quits as PDP chair over ‘unjustice, imposition’

    July 7, 2025
    FG warns on Lagdo dam water release

    Benue, Edo, Bayelsa mobilise as Lagdo Dam flood threat looms

    July 7, 2025
    FG offers ‘two month amnesty’ for visa overstay

    FG offers ‘two month amnesty’ for visa overstay

    July 7, 2025
    Enugu Air to launch domestic flight operations July 7

    Enugu Air to launch domestic flight operations July 7

    July 7, 2025
    Tragic accident kills 21 in Kano

    Tragic accident kills 21 in Kano

    July 7, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • Politics
    • News
    • Sports
    • Business
    • About Us
    © 2025 ChronicleNG

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.