California seized Black couple's beach resort; heirs later got it back
In a remarkable turn of events, the Bruce family has regained ownership of their century-old beachfront property, unjustly seized from them in the past. Following this victory, they have transferred it back to Los Angeles County for approximately $20 million. This land, a cherished destination for African Americans during segregation, will now be utilized for lifeguard training facilities.
In a historic legal battle that spanned nearly a century, a prime piece of Southern California oceanfront property was finally returned to the descendants of a Black couple who founded the first beach resort for African Americans in the state. Bruce's Beach, established in 1912 by Willa and Charles Bruce, became a popular destination for Black beachgoers during the era of racial segregation.
However, white neighbors and the Ku Klux Klan harassed the resort, leading to its seizure by local officials in 1924 under the guise of creating a municipal park. The property remained largely vacant for decades, transferred between state and county hands before being formally returned to the great-grandsons of the original founders in 2022.
The heirs then sold the two plots back to Los Angeles County for nearly $20 million, marking the end of a long struggle for justice and the beginning of an opportunity to rebuild generational wealth.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
