Bruce’s Beach Gets Returned to Original Owner’s Descendants

How a lifelong battle culminated with the signature of one man, Governor Newson, a landmark move

The original owners of Bruce Beach must be celebrating in their graves with excitement and with an indescribable sensation along with their living descendants and the many descendants who passed in between the time of taking over their beach resort and giving it back to its rightful owners.

With all the spiritual celebration with the ancestors, the reparations advocates, and social justice leaders across California get a jubilant day in the sun as Gov. Newson signed the Senate Bill 796 returning Bruce’s Beach back to its rightful owners after it was confiscated illegally via eminent domain to build a park, which never happened, as the original owners, Willa and Charles Bruce, were forced out Manhattan Beach almost a century ago due to its success. This bill demands immediate processing to return Bruce’s beach to its rightful owners.

In the above photo is Anthony Bruce, the great-great-grandson of Charles and Willa Bruce, who has been outspoken on news media about how he feels about Bruce Beach being returned to his family. He conferred that his great grandfather who lived through much of these discriminatory practices would be much elated and relieved. Gov. Newsom also apologized on the behalf of Manhattan Beach since they were unwilling to do so.

Above is a photo of Willa and Charles Bruce, the original owners of Bruce’s Beach, who in 1912 purchased the property for $1,225, the first of two lots along the Strand between 26th and 27th Streets. Charles Bruce was a dining-car chef on the train that ran between Salt Lake City and L.A. and Willa Bruce operated a popular and successful lodge, cafe, and dance hall for Black families who were forbidden on other beach properties. A few more families built their own cottages by the sea. All faced years of threats and harassment from white neighbors and the Ku Klux Klan who torched and damaged their properties.

With all the racism that the Bruce’s and other Black families faced, the city officials stepped in and condemned the neighborhood and seized more than two dozen properties through eminent domain to build a park in 1924.

Did they build a bark? A resounding, “No!.” For decades the properties sat empty. It was obvious the reality of their racist actions. In 1948, the Bruce’s two oceanfront parcels were transferred to the state and then to the county in 1995. The other confiscated properties were eventually converted into a park overlooking the sea.

Thanks to L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn jumping into action upon realizing that the once own parcel by the Bruce family had been transferred to the county, she contacted the great-great-grandson of Charles and Willa Bruce and started a conversation between state and county lawmakers and assessors.

While this story comes with much jubilation, what Manhattan Beach did to this couple a century ago is unspeakable and putting it mildly, horrendous. Manhattan Beach takeover of the Bruce and other Blacks’ properties tore these families apart. Charles and Willa Bruce spent the balance of their lives serving others as chefs for other business owners.

Anthony Bruce advised that his grandfather, Bernard, was born a few years after his family had been run out of town and became obsessed with what happened and lived an angry life because of what happened.

Some close family members couldn’t stand the pain of what happened and chose to leave California. Bruce currently works as a security supervisor in Florida and finds it very painful to talk about the beach that bears his family’s name but the news of returning Bruce’s beach back to its original owners’ ancestors brings some solace.

The signing of this bill is a major step in the right direction in making a wrong right and being a watershed moment for the country, the Bruce family, and gives hope many other Black families who have suffered similar fate along with the Japanese Americans, Latinos, and the Indigenous people.

In conclusion, this is a justice day in America’s history removing one of the millions of stains that lay on the fabric of America. This is truly how America needs to reckon with the past.

Moving forward after Gov. Newson signed this law returning Bruce’s beach to its rightful owners, the logistics of how to do this should be expedited and not allow the ball to drop anywhere along the way. No more waiting and being angry for the Bruce’s family as justice is in progress to be served.

Much appreciation to a national organization, “Where Is My Land”, who helped other Black families with similar stories to bring restorative and reparative justice to them in a similar fashion.

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