Black History
Heirs of Bruce’s Beach Finalize Sale of Property Back to LA County
On Jan. 30, the heirs of Bruce’s Beach finalized the sale of the land they just reclaimed last year back to Los Angeles County for $20 million. But the news of the sale was somewhat disappointing for those who reveled in the victory of justice carried out more than 100 years and hoped the Bruce family would keep the property in the family.

By Antonio Ray Harvey
California Black Media
On Jan. 30, the heirs of Bruce’s Beach finalized the sale of the land they just reclaimed last year back to Los Angeles County for $20 million.
The Bruce Family’s attorney George C. Fatheree III told KBLA radio personality Tavis Smiley that the family was prompted to sell because it faced a long and drawn-out process to get approval for development by the city of Manhattan and the California Coastal Commission.
“The return of the property and the ability to sell the property and take funds and invest it in a way that’s important to their lives represents an important opportunity for my clients to get a glimpse of that legacy that was theirs,” Fatheree said.
But the news of the sale was somewhat disappointing for those who reveled in the victory of justice carried out more than 100 years and hoped the Bruce family would keep the property in the family.
Antonio Moore, a Los Angeles attorney, and co-founder of the American Descendants of Slavery (ADOS) movement, says the deal reached by the heirs of Bruce’s Beach “doesn’t seem to be at fair market value.”
In his Jan. 6 podcast, which can be viewed on Youtube, Moore said he crunched the real estate numbers of surrounding property in Manhattan Beach and claims that the land is worth more than the $20 million — the price at which the heirs of the controversial property were offered for the land.
The attorney said the option to sell back the land, which was first purchased in 1912 and illegally acquired by the city, is akin to the financial loss Black Americans have experienced over the decades due to “housing discrimination.”
“In essence, we are going to give them back the property but not assess any of the generational costs,” he said. “And then we (the county of Los Angeles) are going to create all types of limitations on the way they can access and use that property.”
Moore continued by saying, “The fact that this was sold back for $20 million should have everyone in an uproar. The fact that the (California) Reparations Task Force has literally said nothing about this is abject failure in my view.”
In his 37-minute podcast, Moore said that no one really took the time to “contextualize” the agreement between the county and the Bruce family since the announcement was made. Houses and condos around Bruce’s Beach are priced at around “$3 or $4 million,” he said.
According to Realtor.com, Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles County consists of five neighborhoods. As of Jan. 22, there were 57 homes for sale, ranging from $1.2 million to $22 million.
As of July 1, 2022, 34,668 people resided in the beach town located about 30 miles southwest of Los Angeles. Of that number, 74.8% are white and 0.5% are Black, according to U.S. Census Bureau numbers.
“I am not here to attack this family,” Moore said of the Bruce family. “I am more so here to question how we got here.”
The disturbing story of Bruce’s Beach Park — the location of the first West Coast seaside resort for Black beachgoers and a residential enclave for a few African American families — has received worldwide attention.
One hundred years ago, Manhattan Beach city officials seized Charles and Willa Bruce’s beachfront property through eminent domain, citing an “urgent need” to build a city park.
The use of eminent domain was the end result of segregation, intimidation, violence and threats from the Ku Klux Klan in Manhattan Beach. The plot of land that attracted Black people from all over the country was not developed for recreational use after it was forcefully taken from the Black owners.
On April 9, 2021, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn announced the return of the land to the Bruce’s descendants. The Bruces had purchased the real estate in 1912 for $1,225.
The transfer of ownership of the land was completed with the help of legislation authored by state Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena). Senate Bill (SB) 796 exempted the Bruce’s Beach property from state zoning and development restrictions and enabled the county to return the site to its rightful owners.
On Sept. 30, 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed off on SB 796, allowing the Bruce family to retain the property which had appreciated in value over the last century.
The heirs had two options. LA County was in line to lease the land for $413,000 per year. It also included an exchange to buy the land for as much as $20 million. The family took the latter.
After the news of the decision to sell the land back to the county broke, social media exploded with commentaries from the Black community — for and against the sale.
Opinions on Twitter ranged from, “they got hustled,” the family “knew they’d sell back the property due to taxes,” “I wish they could have reached out to grass roots for direction and assistance,” “sad,” “unbelievable,” to “This was theirs to sell in the first place. Why are we acting like this was ours?”
Holly J. Mitchell, L.A. County Supervisor for the Second District, stated in a Jan. 3 press release that she was “proud” that the county and state addressed the “systematic racist acts that have cost Black families generational wealth.”
“I fully support the self-determination of Black people and families like the Bruces to decide what is best for their lives and legacy,” Mitchell said. “I will continue to advocate for the Bruce family to be fully informed and prepared for the immediate and long-term implications of this sale.”
Considering the well-documented history of racism in housing and real estate that have affected Black Californians, Bruce’s Beach draws attention to other areas in the state where discriminatory laws or practices that have caused Blacks to be illegally displaced or to lose valuable property. Many of these incidents have been highlighted by the California reparations task force.
Examples include land once owned by Black pioneers in Coloma, where the Gold Rush started in 1848; the removal of African Americans from their homes in downtown Santa Monica; and Black community loss of property in Russell City, located between Hayward and Oakland.
“The return of Bruce’s Beach to the rightful heirs of Charles and Willa Bruce will continue to serve as an example of what is possible across the globe when you have the political will and leadership to correct the injustices of the past,” Mitchell added.
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Learning Life’s Lessons
Since his release over five years ago, Richard has committed himself to making a difference, particularly by reaching out to women and families who lack the presence of a father or husband. He knows he cannot undo the years lost behind prison walls, but he is determined to use his past to build a better future for others. His story mirrors that of many who have walked a similar path. Yet, it remains uniquely his own – a testament to the power of change, resilience, and the belief that even from tragedy, something good can emerge.

“California’s three-strike laws gave me 2 life sentences for drug possession. After serving 28 years, mostly in solitary confinement, I am free to lead a movement to get the formerly incarcerated to give back.”
By Richard Johnson
I have written this book in hopes of being able to help others from not traveling down the path that leads to imprisonment or a cemetery. At the very beginning of writing this book, it began as a message to my son Fati Yero Gaidi, who was only two years old at the time that I was given two life sentences in prison for drug possession, under the newly implemented three-strikes-you-out law. The more that I wrote, the book began to evolve beyond its intended purpose for my son; it became something that any and everyone could utilize on their separate journeys through life challenges that we encounter. The book helped me put my thoughts, reasoning, perceptions, and views on display, while opening doors that, for the most part, were closed. The book can be purchased via Amazon. Learning life lessons.
About the Author
By Post staff
Richard “Razor” Johnson, 74, is a man whose life journey is marked by hard-earned wisdom, redemption, and an unshakable commitment to guiding the next generation. Once sentenced to life under California’s Three Strikes Law, he was released through what he calls nothing short of divine intervention. His time behind bars, particularly in Pelican Bay State Prison, gave him a new raw and unfiltered understanding of life’s hardest truths.
With the realization that time is precious and the future is shaped by the lessons we learn, Richard writes with urgency and purpose. His book—a 300-page labor of love—is dedicated to young men who may not have a father to teach them the meaning of life’s most important words. Through definitions filled with wisdom, experience, and deep personal insight, he offers direction to those who find themselves lost, just as he once was.
Since his release over five years ago, Richard has committed himself to making a difference, particularly by reaching out to women and families who lack the presence of a father or husband. He knows he cannot undo the years lost behind prison walls, but he is determined to use his past to build a better future for others. His story mirrors that of many who have walked a similar path. Yet, it remains uniquely his own – a testament to the power of change, resilience, and the belief that even from tragedy, something good can emerge.
His words are not just lessons; they are a call to action. He hopes that by investing in young minds with wisdom and insight, they will be better equipped to navigate life’s trials, learn from their mistakes, and find their path to success. Richard “Razor” Johnson writes not just to be heard, but to help – because he knows firsthand that sometimes guidance can make all the difference.
Post publishers Paul and Gay Cobb visited Johnson in San Quentin and attended his graduation while he was in prison. He became a columnist with the Post News Group and has continued his advocacy for the formerly incarcerated by urging them to “give something back”. Johnson says he will be speaking at prisons, colleges, and media outlets to help organize voter registration and community service projects.
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