Amna: As cities and states
across the country consider
various forms of reparations,
California has led the way and
returning land to the
descendants of the dispossessed.
That includes African-Americans
and native Americans.
The wealth, the community and
the opportunities lost are not
easily recovered.
>> The story of Bruce's speech
is a story about what could and
should have been.
Over 100 years ago, and
industrious black woman in
southern California dreamt of
owning a beach resort was
refused whenever she tried.
Willow Bruce eventually acquired
land in Manhattan beach, telling
the Los Angeles times in 1912, I
own this land and I'm going to
keep it.
She and her husband Charles
built a lodge, a place where
black vacationers could enjoy
your stay at the beach.
>> They were having a beautiful
time and they built it to share.
Because whenever people came to
California, they want them to
have somewhere to go.
>> When I think about Charles
and willow Bruce, I think about
entrepreneurs, black excellence,
community.
>> The reality is the Bruce's
and their patrons were wealthy.
>> A stately photo of the
Bruce's on their wedding day,
decked out in finery, foretold
the makings of a power couple.
The display of black success
outraged the white neighbors and
powers that be.
>> In light of harassment,
violence, their business just
got more and more successful.
The city of Manhattan beach
hatched a scheme to take the
property via a racially
motivated eminent domain.
>> The Bruce's dream was stolen,
their property seized for a
pittance in compensation, and
only after they sued.
>> From right here to this
building here.
>> Community activist Kevin ward
first learned of the beach in
2017.
>> This country often tells us
that we are lazy and don't work
hard enough, and here we are in
the 19 teens and 20's and these
couple -- this couple did
exactly that, only to have that
land stolen and to die as cooks
in someone else's kitchen.
>> Ward began campaigning for
the land to be returned to the
descendants of the Bruce's in
2020.
She succeeded.
>> First century, our government
at every level has enacted
policies to dispossess black
people of the right to own
property and create wealth.
And what was so powerful about
the return of the property of
the Bruce family is we see a
path forward to finally counter
some of those false narratives.
>> As unique and complex as the
deal is, it does offer a path
forward.
Not least of which are the
original inhabitants of los
Angeles.
Before Spanish missionaries
arrived, the tongue via -- ton
gva roamed the land stretching
from the coast to the mountains.
>> We have been systematically
erased.
We were enslaved.
>> Samantha Johnson recently
became the land return
coordinator, a job she could
only have dreamed of as a child.
>> This land was returned, which
I was not expecting in my
lifetime.
>> The 1 acre property was
transferred last year by a
jewish landowner whose own
family faced oppression.
Johnson said the protests that
erupted after the police murder
of George Floyd raised the
nation's consciousness.
>> It made people more aware of
all of the injustices that
happen in America.
>> Council meetings and holiday
parties were held in a borrowed
space.
>> I think it was a taco parking
lot.
>> The altadena property which
overlooks a scenic canyon marks
the first time in nearly 200
years the tongva have legally
owned land.
>> This is the only place we can
plant native trees with full
sovereignty.
>> Work is underway to remove
the overgrown invasive species.
The resilient oaks will remain.
They will host tribal gatherings
and education programs.
>> The beautiful thing about
this land is there is a lot of
hope for restoration.
>> So-called land back
agreements are still rare.
The city of Oakland recently
returned 5 acres of a local park
to the east bay ohlone tribe.
In L.A., different groups are
looking for more opportunities
to acquire land.
>> It's not really just about
the land.
It's preserving what's left of
our land.
>> Long before the land back
movement had gained traction,
Angie burns sought to lease this
property.
It was the early 1990's.
The springs had fallen into
neglect.
A small museum on the land shows
the journey.
>> When I stood at the gate and
saw this area, I was so upset.
I couldn't believe it.
That's an archaeological and
historical site.
>> The Los Angeles unified
school district which built a
high school next to the springs
agreed to lease the site for a
dollar a year.
>> This is the medicine garden
with many varieties of medicinal
plants.
>> The president of the
foundation says the land is now
abundant with native plants and
pristine drinking water.
>> Would you like to try some?
>> Now is the time for the land
to be returned.
>> This is a sacred site.
This is our place of worship.
You have your temples and
churches.
What do we have?
>> Ramirez says the Wii is
debatable.
>> It becomes contentious I
think.
How do you compensate this group
and neglect somebody else?
Is that fair, is that just?
>> Patricia Bruce Carter, a
distant relative was at the
ceremony in 2022 when county
officials returned to the land
to the direction descendants.
She thinks about what could have
been if the land had remained in
the family's hands all along.
>> At this time there would have
been multiple hotels and
beachfront properties.
Just living the life.
>> A lifeguard administration
and parking lot stand where the
Bruce's resort did.
The defendant's lawyer said it
would not be easy to develop.
So less than a year after the
land was returned, the
recipients of the land decided
to sell it back to the county.
For nearly $20 million.
>> As an attorney, my
responsibility is to advocate
the interest of my clients.
As a citizen and an
African-American citizen, I
think that's an important
question.
Who are the benefactors of
restitution?
Who should be the benefactors of
reparations?
>> This is not the outcome
community activist Javon board
wanted.
>> I wanted to see strong young
black entrepreneurs take up
space here and be able to build
and develop here.
Like the Bruce's ones were able
to do.
The family won, but the
community did not.
>> The work will continue.
The reckoning far from over.