Black Liberation Walking Tour, an obituary, a celebration, and more

Remember the Black Liberation Walking Tour that I previewed in the last episode? It’s finally launching next weekend with a gathering outside of the California Hotel. There will be music, speakers, and food (provided by Flint’s BBQ), but most importantly it will be an opportunity for folks to get together and talk about how Oakland’s history connects to the future. [Here’s the teaser video.]

As this great Oaklandside article puts it, one of the goals of this project is to use history to “root a community in place.” That doesn’t mean that newcomers aren’t welcome or that neighborhoods should never change. The constant flow of new residents who come to the Bay Area from all over the world are one of the things that make this region so special. And change is inevitable. It simply means that far too many longtime Oakland residents have already been displaced against their will — and money shouldn’t be the only factor in determining who gets to live here. As our country faces a long-overdue reckoning over the lengthy shadow of slavery, Jim Crow laws, redlining, and white supremacist terrorism, we need to consider the local impact of this widespread racial oppression, too.

Many of the Black families who settled in Oakland around the middle of the 20th century moved here because there were so few other options due racist housing restrictions. After tens of thousands of African Americans established thriving businesses, churches, schools throughout West Oakland, highways and other major infrastructure projects tore these communities apart and blanketed them in noise and pollution. Now that real estate prices are through the roof, the longtime residents who stuck it out through decades of institutional neglect (and worse) shouldn’t merely be swept aside as revitalization efforts bring much-needed improvements like green space and grocery stores back to this area.

But I don’t want to give you the wrong idea about this tour. As you’ll hear, it’s not primarily a catalogue of injustices. Most of the stories are filled with joy, resilience, and fond memories of this place. Even the tales of struggle are characterized by a sense of pride and self-determination. These streets have seen much suffering, but the purpose of the tour is to inspire. As I interviewed people like Andre Jones, the founder of Bay Area Mural Program, and Father Earl Neil, who helped run the Black Panthers’ Free Breakfast Program, it was hard not to feel optimistic. I hope that by sharing their insights about the creativity and generosity of this neighborhood, the lessons they share will benefit the future generations who will make Oakland their home, whether they were born here or not. [Also, if you want to volunteer to help out at the event, sign up here.]In related news, The East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative is also looking to the past for inspiration on how to redevelop West Oakland in a way that prioritizes its Black heritage. According to an in-depth Oaklandside article, the group wants “to restore the Seventh Street corridor to something closer to the vibrant economic and cultural hub it was before the freeways and neglect and eminent domain” — and they’re starting with the iconic Esther’s Orbit Room. “Organizers have grand plans for the space, including three below-market-rate housing units, a farmer’s market, an art gallery, and an events space.” If successful, this model will help provide another exciting example of how history can be incorporated into a broader strategy of resisting displacement, beyond merely evoking nostalgia. If you’re interested in supporting EBPREC’s mission, they’re having a “land liberation celebration” on June 18th to “build our collective purpose.”

In other news…
-If you can’t wait for the Black Liberation Walking Tour to get your immersive history fix, another self-guided walking tour launched last month and it’s definitely worth checking out. This one was developed by UC Berkeley’s Future Histories Lab and is called “Monument to Extraction.” Berkeleyside just did a great writeup on this multi-layered tour here.

-As someone who wore enormous baggy jeans and spent many nights during my teenage years dancing all night at warehouse parties, I really appreciated this look at the history of Home Base, a rave mecca that hosted massive parties out by the Oakland Airport back in the 1990s.

-“It all started in Bay Area taverns. Prohibition had just lifted, and pubgoers needed something salty to snack on while they downed their pints…” Thus begins the epic history of Corn Nuts, another incredible invention developed right here in Oakland.

-This collection of interviews with “LGBTQ+ individuals over the age of 60 who have lived in the Bay Area for 20+ years” is a great way to get more familiar with local queer history during Pride Month.

-Glenn Burke, who made history as the first openly gay professional baseball player AND the “inventor of the high five” has been memorialized in a new book called “Singled Out.” The New York Times ran an excerpt about his final days in Oakland, where he passed away in 1995.

-In the 1800s, ship captains would avoid underwater obstacles in the Bay by using the towering redwood “navigation trees” in the Oakland hills as a guide. After the trees were chopped down, the threat of hitting Blossom Rock increased greatly, leading to the decision to demolish the underwater ridge. The explosive story of this challenging demolition was brought to life in a new video by The History Guy.

-And speaking of rocks, my favorite local geologist, Andrew Alden, has a fascinating new post about the history of Bay Farm Island, which was apparently famous for its asparagus during the Gold Rush era.

-Some more recent coverage of the East Bay’s geological history: KQED’s Bay Curious podcast visited Sibley Regional Preserve to explore the park’s volcanic origins.

-My former Salon colleague Andrew Leonard discovered a batch of old family letters that led him to investigate the connections between Berkeley’s psychedelics boom and his uncle Ken’s mental illness. Its a gripping read that deftly avoids demonizing the power of LSD while confronting the drug’s potential negative side effects.

-Who doesn’t love seeing “Before & After” photos of local landmarks? Dorothy Londagin compiled a cool collection of Oakland bungalow courts in a new article on her Bit of History blog.

-A few years ago, a filmmaker was creating a documentary about West Coast blues legend Sugar Pie De Santo. I’m not sure what’s going on with that project, but this short clip about the singer packs a ton of energy into 3-minutes. I really hope the full-length doc eventually comes out, though...

-The Fremont-based Washington Township Museum of Local History kicked off a series of biographical videos about influential figures from southern Alameda County with this fascinating clip about the story of indignous matriarch Trina Marine Ruano. (Thanks to Andrew Cavette for the tip!)

Finally
Last year, I released an episode featuring an interview with my grandmother, Fides Driscoll, about her memories of living in the Bay Area during the early 1970s. After she passed away last week at the age of 94, I dug one of her hand-made quilts out of my closet and spent a long time studying the intricate patterns and interwoven threads, just reflecting back on my grandmother’s long life. After surviving through World War II in Germany, she moved to the United States and started a family. She had always been an artistic person, but it wasn’t until she visited an exhibition about quilts at the Oakland Museum around 1970 that she started making quilts, which quickly evolved from a hobby into a passion. She created dozens of stunning, award-winning quilts over the next several decades, but this one below is one of my favorites, even though it’s much more simple than some of her more elaborate later works.This quilt was created using vintage fabrics from pre-war California, so I love thinking about how there must be a story behind each little scrap of material that she found and brought together for this piece. Now that she’s gone, I’ll miss her, but I know that whenever I want to feel connected to her memory, all I’ll need to do is pull out this quilt and run my fingers over these colorful patches of fabric. Her creativity and joy will never cease to inspire me. RIP Oma.

-Liam

P.S. Sorry! I know it’s been a long time since the last East Bay Yesterday podcast, but there’s a new episode dropping tomorrow, so check your podcast feed or tune into KPFA 94.1 at 1PM. And if you want to experience the self-guided walking tour before the event on Saturday, here’s a link.