Bruce family returns to its former beach
The Bruce family reunion gathered at Bruce’s Beach. Photo by D’Aughn Thomas They came from Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, and the District of Columbia. A few arrived from Northern California, and several just drove down from Los Angeles. Most had never seen the hallowed plot of land their family proudly owned in Manhattan Beach nearly a century ago, but they’d heard the story of Charles and Willa Bruce, who built a beautiful oceanside resort for African Americans only to face threats from the Klu Klux Klan and the finally the taking of the land by city fathers in 1924. But on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in July, more than 130 members of the Bruce family congregated at Bruce’s Beach and felt more joy than sadness. “It definitely was bittersweet,” said Patricia Bruce-Carter, who organized the family reunion. “It was a sad story because I understand there were other blacks and they just moved down the street — there was a place where they could go and live. But the Bruces were like, ‘The hell with you. We are getting out of here.’” “It’s unfortunate. A lot of that went on during that time,” she said. “Of course, everyone knows that was a while ago, and of course, you…
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