audiobook The Land Was Ours: How Black Beaches Became White Wealth in the Coastal South by Andrew W. Kahrl in History

Review

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Wonderfully written and does the important work of revealing the ...By Brandi LockeWonderfully written and does the important work of revealing the history of African American leisure culture and civil rights grounded in tons of archival research. A beautiful read; I look forward to reading more from this author.17 of 17 people found the following review helpful. Unrevised HistoryBy J.B.This is an accurate historical treatise on the role beachfront property played in the black community's quest for summer leisure pleasures in America's era of public segregation. The book shows how the land originally came into the possession of black families and the circumstances under which the land came into the possession of white sectors of society and were ultimately transformed into real estate that were beyond the reach of the black community. The circumstances in question included unethical; unfair though often legal; and sometimes vigilante methods. The role of ignorance and misplaced trust in unscrupulous officials in effecting this transformation is also described. I am particularly impressed with the thoroughness of the author's research. I can attest to this through personal experience as it pertains to Washington; D.C.; the city of Baltimore; the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland; and northeastern Virginia where I enjoyed Carr's and Sparrow's beaches; the Potomac River; and Highland Beach in my youth. A sibling can also attest to the factual aspects of this same transformation as it pertains to some parts of Florida.I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the true nature of black middle class and poor life in segregated America during the period from 1936 through 1956; which is the span of time in which my personal experiences coincide with many of the names and places in the book.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Poor coastal engineering leading to land erosion and poor development ...By Paul MaginleyAs professor Kahrl points out towards the end of his book; possession of land was important to freed blacks and it validated their conception of freedom in a powerful manner. His book details examples of black ownership of coastal lands and describes the ultimate fate of such lands. The outcomes appear to be universally tragic. Kahrl focuses his study on black owned beachfront properties along the East coast-Virginia; Maryland; North Carolina; South Carolina; and beaches of the Gulf coast where Alabama; Mississippi; and Louisiana meet. These areas commonly experience brief success then are eventually taken over by white interests or are destroyed through financial collapse or from environmental change. Whatever pleasure derived from them by their original black owners all falls tragically short. So how are such lands taken over by white interests? The ways are manifold: We see predatory lending and usurious rates; we see property tax manipulations; we see coastline engineering leading to uncontrolled erosion; we see gained entries into private lands through the use of partition sales; and when all else fails; there is always the white mob. This latter option surprisingly was sparingly used; but that was because it wasn't necessary. Getting hold of a private beachfront spot was a way for Northern negroes to escape the burdens of race. The northern cities had no Jim Crow; but still their black citizens had to endure daily indignities and were forced into crowded and overpriced parts of town; which could be expanded only vertically. Interestingly enough; black families of means sought similar exclusivity in vacation spots as white families did. Their concept of vacationing was one of escaping Jim Crow and equally one of escaping the black masses. Beachcombers when approaching these private lands would walk into physical barriers which reached into the sea. As we read the book; it becomes clear how short lived many of these ventures were for both black owned as well as white owned lands. Fads change. Dollars get directed elsewhere. Poor coastal engineering leading to land erosion and poor development of septic systems causing the mixing of water and sewage along with storm destruction all take a toll. It would have been a stronger study; I think; if Professor Kahrl had explored the concept of private ownership of coastal lands in a general way. Is it; or should it be ethical to be allowed to own beachfront property to begin with? Shouldn't all beaches be declared accessible to the public in our relentlessly capitalistic nation? Beach lines are notoriously unstable with hurricanes and storms. The sand erosion resulting from the development of levees and from cutting off inlets; the lack of community septic systems all argue against private ownership. But still we have to give Andrew Kahrl four stars for addressing a topic which had been hitherto ignored. This book finds its way into the space-restricted library.