"The reason why African Americans began these places of leisure and relaxation in the outdoors was because they were excluded from going to the white establishments."

Around the turn of the 20th century, African Americans seeking to escape racism in the South began moving to Southern California in larger numbers. Like others who migrated to the Golden State at the time, they also came in search of new opportunities and seaside recreation. But discrimination prevailed, even out West, and Black Americans found themselves barred from accessing public pools, parks, and beaches. As a result, Black entrepreneurs and community builders created their own gathering spots, such as Bruce’s Beach in Manhattan Beach and Ocean Park in Santa Monica, where people of color could enjoy surf and sand. 

These successful leisure sites weren’t embraced by everyone—it wasn’t long before white residents, local developers, and members of the KKK launched campaigns of harassment. In 1922, African Americans were forced to give up plans for a beachfront project in Santa Monica. A few years later, the oceanfront property owned by the Bruce family was seized by the city through eminent domain and the resort was shut down. Today, many of these stories of Black resourcefulness and self-determination—thwarted by racist policies—have been forgotten, if not intentionally obscured. But there have been some attempts to make amends, including California’s Governor Gavin Newsom recently signing into law a new bill that will return the oceanfront property taken from the Bruce family almost a century ago to their descendants.

In this episode, historian Alison Rose Jefferson discusses these stories as documented in her book, Living the California Dream: African American Leisure Sites during the Jim Crow Era, and the need for a more inclusive look at America’s past.

California Leisure Sites Pioneered by African Americans

“You look at the thinking behind the creation of the building, but then also at the material needs. And you merge the two to really build an in-depth understanding of the building, and a path forward to preserving it.”

From the sculptural curves of the Sydney Opera House to the sliding walls and windows of the Eames House, the hallmarks of modern buildings make them easy to spot. Modernist architecture—with its signature use of industrial materials and innovative, sleek designs—emerged in the early 1900s and dominated the post–World War II building boom. Unfortunately, many of the iconic buildings from this period are now in serious need of repair but lack clear conservation plans due to the use of untested building methods and materials. How do you fix concrete that’s been damaged by ocean water, or remove graffiti to preserve stainless steel? In response to such dilemmas, the Getty Foundation created the Keeping It Modern initiative, an international grant program focused on the conservation of significant 20th-century architecture. Launched in 2014, Keeping It Modern has to date supported a total of 77 projects in 40 countries. 

In this episode, Antoine Wilmering, senior program officer at the Getty Foundation, discusses the importance and ongoing impact of Keeping It Modern.

Protecting Modernist Architecture for Generations to Come

Deborah Grant, James Ensor

Jens M. Daehner and Kenneth S. Lapatin, associate curators of antiquities, The J. Paul Getty Museum
To celebrate the opening of Power and Pathos: Bronze Sculpture of the Hellenistic World on December 13, 2015, exhibition curators Jens M. Daehner and Kenneth S. Lapatin present some 50 bronze sculptures and related works, dating from the 4th century BC to the 1st century AD. They span the Hellenistic period when the art and culture of Greece spread throughout the Mediterranean and lands once conquered by Alexander the Great. Through the medium of bronze, artists were able to capture the dynamic realism, expression, and detail that characterized the new artistic goals of the period. Power and Pathos brings together works from world-renowned archaeological museums in Austria, Croatia, Denmark, France, Georgia, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Spain, and the United States. On view through March 20, 2016, the exhibition presents a unique opportunity to witness the importance of bronze in the ancient world, when it became the preferred medium for portrait sculpture.

Introduction to the Exhibition — Power and Pathos: Bronze Sculpture of the Hellenistic World

Two irrepressible personalities—genre-defying author Geoff Dyer and actor-curator-writer-comedian Steve Martin—discuss Dyer’s latest book, “White Sands: Experiences from the Outside World.” The experiences recounted by Dyer take us from Tahiti in the footsteps of Gauguin to the Watts Towers; from Walter De Maria’s Lightning Fields in New Mexico to Venice, California, his new home. With his usual wry wit, Dyer offers observations on travel, awareness, and stepping outside of ourselves. This talk is a part of the Getty’s Art of Writing series.

Recorded at the Getty Center on June 16, 2016.

Geoff Dyer, "White Sands"

Artist Pipilotti Rist and historian and "North of Dixie: Civil Rights Photography Beyond the South" author Mark Speltz.

Pipilotti Rist, Mark Speltz

Kimi ni Todoke OP 1

The Getty works in Los Angeles and around the world to conserve and interpret the world's artistic legacy.

Geoff Dyer, "White Sands"

Getty

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