Palm Springs Unkept Promise to the Survivors & Descendants of Section 14
As efforts to unearth the truth and seek reparative justice have gained traction in America, exhaustive research has placed Palm Springs squarely in the pantheon of the country's history of racially terrorizing African Americans by taking property and destroying political power.
Join us in demanding that Palm Springs recognize its true history and fulfill its commitment to make the Survivors and Descendants of Section 14 whole again. Sign the petition today.
“A city-engineeered holocaust”
Did you know….?
In July 1966, the California State Attorney General's Office initiated a criminal investigation into the actions of Palm Springs officials in the use of force and terror to drive Black and brown residents of Section 14 out of their homes and community. The subsequent 1968 report concluded that Palm Springs officials had burned and bulldozed the homes and property of thousands of Black and brown people in the 1950s and 1960s in a "city-engineered holocaust."
Nearly 60 years passed before the City of Palm Springs conducted its own investigation. The City's Human Rights Commission issued a jaw-dropping 400-page report of its findings and recommendations on April 28, 2021. Written by Ron deHarte (then chair of the Human Rights Commission and now an elected member of the city council), the report is the first time the City's actions were uncovered in their entirety.
In words even more scathing and blistering than the Attorney General's report, the findings revealed the actions of Frank Bogert, Palm Springs Mayor, and numerous other city leaders' "undeniable role in razing Section 14."
Based on its own investigation and findings, on September 29, 2021, the City issued an official apology acknowledging Palm Springs officials' role in the destruction of Section 14. The Palm Springs City Council also directed staff to discuss and develop plans for a reparations program with the Survivors and Descendants of Section 14.
Palm Springs has not made good on its promise. Consistent with the directive from the City Council, city staff held one meeting with several representatives from the Section 14 Survivors and Descendants. That meeting did not yield an agreement—and the effort stalled, leaving those who were directly impacted by the events continuing to struggle with unending racial trauma.
Will you join the effort to secure justice for the Section 14 Survivors and Descendants?
By signing this petition, the Section 14 Descendants and Survivors can count on your support as we continue to spread awareness and fight for local and statewide recognition.
Please also consider choosing a message and sending an email to the Mayor of Palm Springs and City Councilmembers voicing your support.
“To the Honorable Grace Elena Gardner, Mayor of Palm Springs: I stand with the survivors and descendants of Palm Springs Section 14. Please honor the city's findings from its own investigation and advance the reparations effort without further delay.
“To the Honorable Grace Elena Gardner, Mayor of Palm Springs: Palm Springs has come a long way in recognizing its role in the destruction of Section 14. Please follow through on the commitment you made in the wake of the city's investigation and commit your office's resources to advancing the vision of the Palm Springs Section 14 Survivors and Descendants.
“To the Honorable Grace Elena Gardner, Mayor of Palm Springs: I have been moved by the stories of the Palm Springs Section 14 Survivors and Descendants. I know that California, and Palm Springs specifically, can play a pivotal role in the quest for justice and racial healing. Please support the Section 14 Survivors and Descendants and meet their demands without further delay.
Mayor Grace Garner, Grace.Garner@palmspringsca.gov
Ron deHarte, Councilmember
District 3, Ron.deHarte@palmspringsca.gov
Christy Holstege, Councilmember
District 4, Christy.Holstege@palmspringsca.gov
Lisa Middleton, Councilmember
District 5, Lisa.Middleton@palmspringsca.gov