Black Families Pushed Out To Build Palm Springs Were Promised Reparations, Lawyer Says Talks Have Stalled

Photo: Diamond Dust Photography In Palm Springs, California, survivors and descendants of the Section 14 community continue to fight for reparatory justice. This week, during the annual national observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Palm Springs Section 14 Survivors celebrated the civil rights icon’s legacy of equality. They held a symbolic rally and march as they continue to raise awareness of their stories and fight for justice. The city forcibly displaced Black and Latino families during the 1950s and 60s to build luxury hotels, shops, and other commercial developments. The city bulldozed or burned down their homes as well as personal possessions in order to do this. A state investigation described what took place in the community as a “city-engineered holocaust.” This destruction not only damaged properties but also caused emotional and racial trauma, wiped away the community’s political power, and impacted the ability to obtain generational wealth. Photo: Diamond Dust Photography Survivors are seeking $2 billion in reparations based on current values of the homes and property that were lost, a calculation made by economist Dr. Julianne Malveaux. They are also seeking a fund that would provide scholarships and grants to Section 14 Survivors to attend college, start...