Santa Monica to pay $350,000 to family of displaced Black entrepreneur as part of larger reparations effort

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Santa Monica approved a $350,000 settlement for Silas White’s family, more than 60 years after his land was seized through eminent domain in the 1950s.

White planned to open his Ebony Beach Club in 1958 when the city seized the property to build the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.

The Santa Monica City Council agreed earlier this week to pay a settlement to the family of a Black entrepreneur whose land the city acknowledged was unfairly taken through eminent domain during the 1950s.

More than 60 years later, the payment is part of a larger reparations effort by the city of Santa Monica.

On Tuesday, the City Council unanimously approved in closed session a $350,000 settlement for t