California seized Black couple's beach resort; heirs later got it back
The descendants of Willa and Charles Bruce have received nearly $20 million from Los Angeles County after the government returned land that was seized from their ancestors via eminent domain in 1924. The resort, once a haven for Black beachgoers, was taken due to racial hostility and harassment.
Why it matters
The case serves as a high-profile example of restorative justice regarding historical racial discrimination and property rights in the United States.
A prime piece of Southern California oceanfront property taken from a Black couple through eminent domain a century ago was formally returned to their descendants and then sold back to Los Angeles County for nearly $20 million (£16.6 million). The deal ended a historic legal fight over Bruce’s Beach, a Manhattan Beach resort founded in 1912 by Willa and Charles Bruce. The resort became a popular destination for African American beachgoers during racial segregation. It was later targeted by white neighbours, harassed by the Ku Klux Klan, and eventually taken by local officials in 1924. According to official records from the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative and reporting by the Associated Press, the property was formally returned to great-grandsons Marcus and Derrick Bruce.
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