The great-grandchildren of a Black couple whose beachfront property in Southern California was seized by local officials in 1924, and returned to the family last year, will sell it back to Los. Now theyre selling it back. On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to begin the process of transferring beachfront property to the descendants of Charles and Willa Bruce, whose. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. A. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as: names, dates, place of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships. based on information from your browser. Visit our Support Center The citys eminent domain effort, historical records show, was motivated by a desire to force Black people out of Manhattan Beach. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Boys Town. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. My clients were essentially robbed of their birthright; they shouldve grown up as part of a hospitality dynasty like the Hiltons, Fatheree said in the radio interview. African Americans were establishing themselves, because they wanted to enjoy southern Californias offerings, said Dr Alison Rose Jefferson, a historian and the author of Living the California Dream: African American Leisure Sites during the Jim Crow Era. While her husband, Charles, worked as a dining-car chef on the train running. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. Chief Duane Yellow Feather Shepard is a relative of the Bruce family. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. While in Saskatoon, she met the love of her life. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. And last July, after Los Angeles County and the California state legislature worked out the legal details, the county returned the property to the couples closest living heirs, their great-grandsons Derrick and Marcus Bruce. "Today, we are sending a message to every government in this nation confronted with this same challenge: this work is no longer unprecedented. Los Angeles County Completes Landmark Return of Bruce's Beach to the Rightful Heirs of Charles and Willa Bruce | LA County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, June 28 Media Contact Lene Richards (213) 709-9334 lrichards@bos.lacounty.gov Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. I grew up learning to swim in the ocean a few blocks from what was Bruces Beach So when I finally heard this story, I felt there was nothing else I could do but figure out how to return this property.. Theyre still benefiting from the generational wealth of their ancestors while we dont have a dime coming in.. Last Friday, LA and state legislators stood outside it to unveil a new state bill that would remove restrictions on the property and allow the county to return it to the Bruces. Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, from left, California Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, Chief Duane Shepard, Sr. and California state Sen. Steven Bradford applaud after announcing the process of returning Bruces Beach back to the family of Willa and Charles Bruce has begun. Bruce spoke Thursday at news conference in Manhattan Beach with Gov. As for the remaining lots, city officials eventually turned them into a park, which many residents know today as a pretty stretch of grass overlooking the sea. But for decades, the properties sat empty. This is a carousel with slides. This article was amended on 19 April 2021 to clarify that the county does not yet have an estimate for the current value of the Bruces property. California officials seized a beachfront property from Willa and Charles Bruce in 1924. She was born in Dalton, GA. to the late Grady A. and Mable Sosebee. UPS and FedEx deliveries only use the street address: Get all the latest news and information right in your inbox. online petition called for a more visible, complete tribute to the Bruce family, Supervisor Janice Hahn took that effort a step further, return the property at the Strand and 26th Street back to the Bruce family. Dear sister of Mary Ellen (Vince) Eriksson and Bill (Lynda) MacFarlane; predeceased by her sister Jocelyn and brother Barry. Your memories and stories about Margaret would be appreciated by the family, and can be shared on the Share a Memory tab at www.dignitymemorial.com. While her husband, Charles, worked as a dining-car chef on the train running between Salt Lake City and L.A., Willa ran a popular lodge, caf and dance hall providing Black families a way to enjoy a weekend on the coast. Following her husband, Roberts untimely death Willa returned to school where she earned her Ph.D., and three Masters degrees while also raising three young sons as a single mom. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. She was loved and cherished by many people including : her husband Dr. James Walton Blackburn; her sons, Dr. Robert "Bo" Bruce (Marianne Pascale), Joseph M. Bruce (Carol) and Josh Bruce; her grandson Robby Bruce; her former husband Robert B. Bruce; and her parents, Inez Smallwood (Lunsford) and Frank Smallwood. Let the family know you are thinking of them. 1962 - 2023 Manuel "Patrick" Swearengin, 60, of Roland, OK passed away Monday, February 13, 2023 in Roland, OK. Manuel was born in Sallisaw, OK on March 17, 1962. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. Now, some want the city to atone for its actions. Mom your praying for our family peace and strength and for us to know we are never alone. This is just the tip of the iceberg, said Shepard, who is also indigenous and a chief of the Pocasset Wampanoag tribe of the Pokanoket Nation. She was retired from White Rogers in Batesville and her favorite hobby was collecting antiques. County Supervisor Janice Hahn then confirmed the upcoming sale, which must occur by the end of the month. This browser does not support getting your location. We cant change what happened to the Bruce family, and the hundreds, maybe thousands of others throughout Californias history who were robbed of their property, said Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who emphasized that the county isnt gifting anything its returning what was lawfully owned by the Bruce family. Last week, the Manhattan Beach city council, the same entity that took their land a century ago, voted to oppose a symbolic proclamation to apologize to the Bruces, citing concerns it would make the city liable for future lawsuits. 1978 Journalist, 1991 Pulitzer Prize winner Born in Indian Head, Saskatchewan on December 19, 1935 to William and Margaret (Madge) MacFarlane. September 16, 1934 -. The property that was once owned by the Bruces is now a lifeguard training headquarters. Margaret passed away suddenly on. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. The great-grandchildren of a Black couple whose beachfront property in Southern California was seized by local officials in 1924, and returned to the family last year, will sell it back to Los Angeles County for nearly $20 million, an official said on Tuesday. We want back what belongs to us.. Margaret had many enthusiasms. Oops, we were unable to send the email. By Stacy M. Brown. A prime stretch of property in Manhattan Beach was formally handed back Wednesday to the descendants of a Black couple it was seized from more than a century ago. Mr. Shepard said the two lots are identical. Fatheree, however, said he doesnt think its fair for folks to judge the familys decision. Anthonys grandfather, Bernard Bruce, the grandson of Willa and Charles, grew up distraught about this history: He was obsessed about it, because he knew how much it was worth. Obituary. The county received notice of the sale from the family on Dec. 30, and the escrow process will likely be completed in 30 days, Liz Odendahl, a spokeswoman for Ms. Hahns office, said in an email on Tuesday evening. That celebration, amid a national uprising calling for police reform and an end to systemic racism in the wake of George Floyds murder by Minneapolis police, brought attention to the racism that stripped the Bruce family of its property. After leaving CPAP for good, we had no chances to meet again. Supachai Yavaprabhas. She was a member of the First Assembly of God Church in Cave City. Try again later. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. Predeceased by his loving wife, Shirley (2013) of 57 years. Sweethearts Margie Johnson and John Pettigrew at the crowded Pacific Ocean shoreline. I think an apology would be the least that they can do, Anthony Bruce, the great-great-grandson of Willa and Charles Bruce, told The New York Times in 2021. When Bruces Beach closed, he said, it essentially eliminated his grandmothers ability and the ability for many Black families to enjoy any beach because the next option in Santa Monica was another hour- to two-hour drive. It felt personal, like it was an attack against me.. Make sure that the file is a photo. She is survived by her husband, Dr. James Walton Blackburn; sons, Dr. Robert Bo Bruce (Marianne Pascale) and Joseph M. Bruce (Carol); and grandson, Robby Bruce. The reason, they said, was an urgent need for a public park. This account has been disabled. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Los Angeles County returned it to their great-grandsons last year. California, in turn, gave the land to LA County in 1995 on the condition that officials didnt transfer control to anyone else. In 1912, Willa and Charles Bruce became the first Black landowners in Manhattan Beach. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. where Wright Funeral Home Obituary Home And Gardening Reference Bathroom Decor Ideas takes center stage.Our goal is to provide a wealth of information, analysis, and discussion on this captivating subject, to bring together a community of individuals who share a passion for Wright Funeral Home Obituary Home And . The local government managed the rights to the land for almost 100 years. Recent galleries can be seen on our photography page. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. You put those factors together and it doesnt sound shocking that folks would want to turn around, sell and invest in ways that make sense for themselves.. Different family members are at different stages in life, Fatheree said, so the ability for them to receive the funds and invest them for whatever makes sense in their lives is important.. In 1912 Willa and Charles Bruce bought land in Manhattan Beach, a Los Angeles seaside suburb, turning it into a thriving resort run for and by Black residents despite harassment and violence. GREAT NEWS! Bernard made progress in 2006 when, with help from the citys first Black councilman, officials renamed a nearby park Bruces Beach and put up a plaque honoring Willa and Charles. This fight has always been about what is best for the Bruce family, Hahn said in her statement, and they feel what is best for them is selling this property back to the County for nearly $20 million and finally rebuilding the generational wealth they were denied for nearly a century. The plaque at the city-owned Bruce's Beach Park isn't the only commemoration of Willa and Charles Bruce, who were Black and operated a seaside resort for African Americans during the 1920s. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Here are the tributes to Willa (Smallwood) M. Bruce. But its important for people to claim their ancestral rights, he said, adding that the ongoing racial tensions in Manhattan Beach were palpable to him as soon as he arrived: You can feel it in the air.. A park now occupies the property that once belonged to the Bruce family more than a century ago in Manhattan Beach. If you and I put ourselves in the shoes of someone who had this horrible thing happen, Fatheree said during the interview, it makes sense why its positive (that) the family would sell this property back to the county.. The LA Times reported in 1912 on the "great agitation" and "opposition" of white property owners, saying she "created a. The family has already informed the county that it wants to sell the property, according to Hahn, who spearheaded the legislative effort to return the land to the Bruces. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. This will affect my children and their childrens children And I want them to know that they can receive justice from their government.. Then in July, the county handed the deed to Willa and Charles Bruces great-grandson and great-great grandsons Derrick, Marcus, Anthony and Michael Bruce marking what public officials and the Bruce family have called the nations first apparent act of property-based reparations. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. English MANHATTAN BEACH, CA L.A. County will begin the process of returning Bruce's Beach to the descendants of Charles and Willa Bruce. Willa Jo Canfield, ne Hiss, died with her family around her on Thursday, January 12, 2023, after a severe illness. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. He was trying to get that land back for almost his entire life, Anthony said. I have just heard of Willas death. FanPix.Net Image: Arrow - Willa Holland: Photo ID: . That says they dont even regard Black people as people, said Kavon Ward, a Black resident of Manhattan Beach who last year founded a group called Justice for Bruces Beach to advocate for the land to be returned. The couple, who moved to Manhattan Beach from New Mexico, were among the first Black people to settle in the area. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Guestbook (2) Follow story. Manhattan Beach was once home to Black beachgoers, but the city ran them out. Required fields are marked *, Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak-Cutler Mortuaries 2020 All Rights Reserved Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The citys mayor at the time, Suzanne Hadley, condemned the racism against the Bruces but said that an apology could increase the risk of litigation against the city. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. Activists in recent months have reclaimed the park as a space to honor Black lives including a Juneteenth celebration and memorials for Breonna Taylor and Emmett Till. Los Angeles County has returned the shorefront land to the Black couple who were pushed off a century ago by the city. ). In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Canadian Cancer Society or a charity of your choice. Add to your scrapbook. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. There is no photo or video of Willa (Smallwood) M. Bruce.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. Jaclyn Cosgrove is an assistant editor at the Los Angeles Times. Willa leaves behind a legacy of faith, service and love that serves as an inspiration to all those whose lives she touched. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. The land was later transferred to Los Angeles County and now hosts a training center for lifeguards. Actor Kirk Kelley Kahn, 38, of Manhattan Beach, listens to speakers after Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn discusses the process of returning Bruces Beach to the Bruce family. Margaret read widely and enjoyed playing the piano and singing; she passes on her love of reading, music and nature. Willa and Charles Bruce bought the land for $1,225 in 1912, before expanding to build their resort, according to the Los Angeles Times. They were terrorized and left destitute, said Shepard, as joggers ran along the beach in front of him and surfers made their way to the water. The importance of saying "I love you" during COVID-19, Effective ways of dealing with the grieving process, Solutions to show your sympathy safely during the Covid-19 pandemic, Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak-Cutler Funeral Chapels. Contributor: Johnston Hurst Shannon (47975890), Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Failed to remove flower. Try again later. A system error has occurred. A man and woman work out with boxing gear outside the Los Angeles County Lifeguard Training Center, just below Bruces Beach park, in Manhattan Beach. In 1948, the city handed the property, and other beachfront parcels, to the state. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Her interest in the relationship between nutrition and health remained strong long after she stopped her work as a dietician. The property was seized from the Bruce family as the result of a racist campaign spearheaded by the Ku Klux Klan. Home; Obituaries; Death Notices . Willa and Charles Bruce owned a . The Bruce family will sell two Manhattan Beach parcels to Los Angeles County, officials announced Tuesday, Jan. 3, fewer than six months after the county returned the land that once belonged to their ancestors in an act of property-based reparations. Then, in 1924, city officials condemned the neighborhood and moved to seize the property. 1968 Poet, 13th United States Poet Laureate, 2005 Pulitzer Prize winner Marjie Lundstrom (b. Today, the Bruces property is worth millions. They were able to reclaim what was rightfully theirs.. MANHATTAN BEACH, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 29: In an aerial view, Bruce's Beach (C) is wedged between expensive real estate on June 29, 2022 in Manhattan Beach, California. Events. Manhattan Beach property seized from Black couple formally returned to Bruce family descendants. 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