Watts: Our Place In History

“Of all of our studies history is best-suited to reward all research”-Malcolm X

We had many discussions and debates regarding the way in which we would address this year’s theme, WATTS: Our Place In History. Make no mistake, the theme reflects our sincere belief that Watts does have a place in history, and that its history should be celebrated and known by its citizens. We just weren’t decided on the direction to use to define our historical viewpoint.

We were however, mindful that our culture and heritage demand a moral obligation to remember those who made contributions to Watt’s growth, development and struggles. As James Baldwin once said,” History is not a procession of illustrious people. It is about what happens to a people. Millions of anonymous people are what history is about.”

 It becomes important therefore that we take time to reflect on and to celebrate the history of Watts and more importantly that we take time to teach its younger citizens its stories of self-determination, self-respect and self-defense.

We understand the meaning in the teachings of the Honorable Marcus Garvey who said that “our history is too important to leave in alien hands”, when we see the number of organizations who use the name Watts to solicit funding but whose events and offices are located in geographic areas nowhere in proximity to the area itself. And when Watts by name, as a part of greater Los Angeles, is used as the main steam media’s synonym and subliminal image for poverty, drugs and gangs, while on the global stage the same name, Watts, is the respected synonym and symbol of a community united in birthing a new phase of the civil, human and environmental rights movement.     

 Watts is so much more than a zip code, so much more than any one period on its historical timeline. Watts has set the paradigm for addressing issues regarding the quality of life for its citizens. Dr Maulana Karenga, creator of Kwanzaa and Chairperson of the Us Organization shares that there are four reasons why history is important, first, to learn its lessons, second, to absorb its spirit of human possibilities, third to extract and emulate its models of human excellence and achievements and fourth, to honor the moral obligation to remember those who opened the way and created a place for us to live in dignity. With that in mind it seems fitting that we recognize the history of Watts from its inception to the present.

The rich history of Watts through the centuries begins as Rancho Tajauta, a land grant presented to Anastacio Avila in the 1800’s. This Watts was an area with mustard weeds, grazing cattle and flocks of sheep.

Its purchase in the early 1900s by Charles Watts creates a ‘wet’ area that citizens from Los Angeles would visit to frequent its bars. The 1930’s bring the red line, pubs and ethnic neighborhoods.

With the 1940’s, the great migration of African Americans from the south discover that the golden state of California has its own type of Jim Crow laws with restrictive covenants that prevent them from living anywhere else in the city of the angels but Watts.

This results in the building of five housing developments as well as a monument called the Watts Towers during the 1950’s. In mid 1960’s its citizens who are largely African American change its destiny in August of 1965 marking a pivotal point in the civil rights movement. Migration to other parts of greater Los Angeles occurs during the 1970’s as well as the opening of a major hospital. In the 1980’s youth organizations pledging allegiance for the color blue or red battle for territorial rights. By the 1990’s their battle is over drugs.

 A new chapter of Watts’s history comes at the dawn of the new millineum when the 2000 census study reveals a demographic shift and African Americans are no longer the residential majority.

And today, as we prepare to host the forty-second annual Watts Summer Festival, Watts stands poised once again for a new page in its history. The current ongoing demographic population shift, the closing of Martin Luther King, Jr. Hospital and planning by the city developers for the redevelopment of the land currently in use for the housing projects are a few of the factors. As before, the outcome will be determined largely upon its citizens understanding and commitment to its own history. As in years past their effective participation in every decision that impacts Watts as well as their willingness to mobilize, educate, organize and if necessary confront, will affect the community’s destiny, its history and its citizen’s daily lives.