By the mid 20th century, the clothing, accessories, and look of people enjoying Southern California beach culture was beamed across the country and around the world through photos and films. But the vast majority of those images did not include African Americans. The exhibit “Black California Dreamin’: Claiming Space at America’s Leisure Frontier” at the California African American Museum includes photos of early 20th century African Americans doing what’s natural in Southern California: relaxing on a sandy beach.
But behind many of those smiles were experiences of racist taunts and dirty looks. “African Americans contested any kinds of activities that were attempting to inhibit them from using public beaches here in Southern California,” said Allison Rose Jefferson, the curator of the exhibit. The exhibit joins historical photos, pamphlets, and films with contemporary portrayals of African Americans at leisure.
And in doing so, it paints a broad picture of African Americans’ efforts to have access to leisure activities and spaces that most non-African Americans take for granted. The show includes photos of Bruce’s Beach, a Black-owned resort on the Manhattan Beach shore that sold refreshments and changing booths. “The white folks cordoned off the beach to keep the Black people from being able to get to the water,” Jefferson said.
Bruce’s Beach has been a focal point in recent years around efforts to redress Jim Crow policies in California. Elected off.