Los Angeles County is considering options to compensate the descendants of a Black family who had their beachfront property seized from them close to one hundred years ago, according to KABC.
The city of Manhattan Beach used eminent domain to force Willa and Charles Bruce off their land in 1924. They lived and operated a resort for Black Americans during a time when beaches in the city were still segregated.
They were among the city’s first Black landowners. According to KABC, the land the family bought for less than $2,000 could be worth up to $75 million.
A lifeguard headquarters and training center is now located on the land, which is owned by Los Angeles County.
County Supervisor Janice Hahn said she is considering giving the land back to the Bruce family, then the county may also pay reparations or lease the property back from the family in order to allow the lifeguard center to remain there.
That does open an enormous can of worms. The fact that they are doing it by race is another issue. Where would it stop? Would the Native Americans also get their land back? The Brits better give me back my ancestor’s land. A Lord lives on it now.
A beachfront property in Manhattan Beach that was seized from a Black family 97 years ago may be returned to the family's descendants. https://t.co/cAfNWwRfDh
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) March 6, 2021
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