Black Cultural Heritage Sites in California that have been or are in Danger
editLooking at Black Cultural Heritage in LA, the number of sites that have been negatively affected such as Bruce’s Beach are quite undertold. In fact, a quick youtube search of “black cultural heritage in LA” shows only ~5 relevant videos, with the most watched one only having about 3.1k views. This Wikipedia page goes over some of the Black Cultural Heritage Sites in California that have either been vandalized, damaged, or negatively impacted by weather.
Why do we need to care about these sites? A lot of these sites hold a such a rich and extensive history of Black people in America to where if something had happened to these sites, those stories could not be represented in the fullest way.
Sites
edit| Site | Image | Location | Description of Danger | Prevention |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Panther Mural |  |
Los Angeles, California | Inappropriate Graffiti Vandalism over Mural[1] | 1. Awareness of Local Security
2. Security Cameras 3. Paint over Grafitti |
| Bruce's Beach |  |
Los Angeles, California | Stolen Copper Plaque From the Beach[2] | 1. Awareness of Local Security
2. Resume the search for the criminal 3. Security Cameras 4. Reinforcements for the Plaque |
| Lincoln Memorial Park |  |
Carson, California | More than 100 stolen name plaques from the memorial.[3] | 1. Awareness of Cemetery Security |
| Woodlawn Celestial Gardens | *Picture will upload after copyright* | Compton, California | Stolen Metal Markers from the Cemetery[4] | 1. Awareness of Cemetery Security |
| Watts Tower Arts Center |  |
Los Angeles, California | Expansion of the Cement Layer due to High Temperatures which cause Leaning of Tower[5] | 1." Cutting overhead connected bands and installing steel joints".[5]
2. "Applying a polymer-amended mortar with a silicone expansion join ".[5] 3. "Texturizing and color-matching the silicone outer layer to integrate it visually with the rest of the structure".[5] |
... Other examples include wooden wear and tear in the Second Baptist Church in Los Angeles[6]
Bruce' Beach in Los Angeles
editYoutube Video Title: Bruces Beach Missing Plaque Segment by Emmanuel Negash
Link to Video: [1]
Description: Emmanuel Negash filmed a short segment on Bruce's Beach about a short backstory on how Willow Bruce, Charles Bruce and their family had gained this piece of land, and how they were also wrongfully stripped of it. This video also shows the missing plaque stolen in January of 2024.[2]
Here and here[7], you can find a bit of history on the segregation that had happened at beaches in California.
Some Words from People at Bruce's Beach
editInterviewed by: Emmanuel Negash and Cameraman
Citizen 1
editQuestion: "How do you feel about the stolen plaque on Bruce's Beach?"
Answer: "Oh I think it is a tragedy! It truly shows the ugly side of this world and I think our community needs to get together to find whoever did this".
Citizen 2
editQuestion: "How do you feel about the stolen plaque on Bruce's Beach?"
Answer: "When I had read about it, I had no words.... This was definitely an act of racism. Whoever did this needs to be locked up in jail".
Get Involved
editIf you are interested in learning more about Black History and Cultural Sites in California, NBC Los Angeles have kindly made a map of some prominent sites you can find here.
References
editCitations
- ^ #teamEBONY. "Black Panther Mural Vandalized With Swastikas in Los Angeles". EBONY. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
- ^ a b "A California beach's grim history of racism was recognized in a plaque. Someone just stole it". Los Angeles Times. 2024-01-31. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
- ^ Twitter; Instagram; Email; Facebook; Twitter. "More than 100 bronze plaques stolen from Carson cemetery; second cemetery hit in area". Los Angeles Times.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Almanza, Rikki (2024-01-18). "Nearly 600 Grave Markers Stolen Overnight From Historic Los Angeles County Cemetery | California American Legion". Veteran Families Strengthen America. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
- ^ a b c d "Conservation Proceeds at Watts Towers". Unframed. 2016-07-14. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
- ^ McDonald, Valerie (22/08/10). "Second Baptist Aims to Repair Structural Damage to Historic Edifice". Retrieved 24/05/09.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=and|date=(help) - ^ Romeyn, Kathryn (2016-08-05). "L.A.'s Ugly Jim Crow History: When Beaches Were Segregated". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-05-14.