SEASIDE: SOUL'D OUT

This documentary will tell the story of Seaside, California, through my eyes.
Growing up, the Seaside I experienced and loved was a predominantly black community, yet it exemplified great multiculturalism. With the historic Army Base, Fort Ord as its underpinning, Seaside became the ideal place for families of mixed races to settle. Many of my childhood friends were the children of black soldiers who had found wives abroad. Many were mixed with Filipino, Japanese, German, and Korean heritage. This is what made Seaside unique. But to really understand the history of Seaside, and the contributions blacks made there, and the disappearance of this rich culture we have to dig deeper, and we have to research.

Dr. L.D. Roberts of New York founded Seaside in 1887. When he purchased the land from his uncle, which at the time was known as East Monterey, he soon subdivided all 150 acres into lots and sold them for twenty-five dollars each. In 1890, Roberts renamed this area "Seaside".

In the early 1940s, Seaside saw an increase of black families due to the sardine canneries in Monterey, and the expansion of Fort Ord, which became the first military training division in the U.S. to integrate under orders from President Harry Truman when he signed the Executive Order 9981 in July of 1948 banning all segregation in the US Military (However Fort Ord did not implement the policy until 1951).

Yet at the helm of Seasdie culture, was the Church. I remember the church as the center of everything. From Sunday school, to the choir, to holiday dinners, to sports programs, everyone seemed to be involved with the church one way or another. This is one reason the people in Seaside shared such a strong sense of community. The concept, "It takes a village to raise a child" was an acted-out policy. Everyone seemed to know each other, and neighbors were not timid to put a child acting unruly in their place. There was truly a strong sense of community. The 60's and 70's brought The Black Power movement, where Blacks began to play a major role as business owners and decision makers in the city. However, Blacks continued to be marginalized and politically suppressed in Seaside up until the late 1980s.

Seaside since then, has seen a declining population of Blacks, and a significant increase in Latinos. For many, the prospect of a mini-chocolate city along the peninsula was a great hope, that still haunts me today. Are the changes in Seaside inevitable? Were Blacks forced out because of lack of opportunity? Or did we sell out? Our homes, our businesses, our relationships--our community.

My documentary will explore these questions, while at the same time exhibit the great significance this small, coastal town had in our nation.

-Levelle McKinney

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Seaside
• California
• Monterey
• Black
• African
• American
• Soul
• Soul'd
• Out
• Levelle
• Mckinney
• Richard
• Joyce
• History

[SuperNaco85]

seaside is for people that can't afford monterey

[meppsims]

Grew up in Seaside. Didn't know it was ever predominately Black. There was such a mix of cultures when we moved there in 1973. I moved away for college, got married & moved back for 1 yr before military relocating us to East Coast. Seaside will always be home and I am proud to say that is where I'm from. To this day I still have friends that I met during my school days in Seaside - Ord Terrace, King Jr High, Seaside High!

[Iridium242]

@LaMariposaSedosa Thats funny.;. I moved from NYC to Seaside in 1996 and being a native new yorker I was freaked out when people said hello to me that I didn't know.. lol eventually I got the hang of it :) Glad it hear its gotten better.. our street (Sonoma) was pretty bad when we left.

[LaMariposaSedosa]

I always tell people I'm lucky to be from the Monterey Bay. Growing up around so many different cultures prepares you for the rest of your life. Not to mention it is just a beautiful area.  We are so lucky.

[LaMariposaSedosa]

@Iridium242

Actually, it was nice, then it got worse, now it's better in many ways. I lived in the area most of my life. And the 80's in Seaside, were very interesting. There were lots of prostitutes, and lots of drugs. But I remember my dad saying hi to everyone his passed by. I would ask him every single time if he knew that person. And he's from New York, so that says a lot.

[Televangelist]

Thanks for a really wonderful video... I've never been to Seaside, never even heard of it, but I feel like I have a real sense now of the place and the moment.

[SuperMotivated1]

Thank you for this enlightening video...I had the pleasure of living on Ft. Ord for several years and Seaside was always my favorite place! My first car, an awesome beautician, and many great friends all from Seaside! I will always cherish and share my wonderful experiences of Seaside.

[izapurevideo]

I love this documentary. I grew up in Seaside and my parents still live there. I went to Juan Cabrillo Elementary, Manzanita Elementary, Martin Luther King Jr. High School, and was bused to Monterey High School, class of '81. My parents, who also grew up in Seaside, still live in the house I grew up in before I left. The diversity helped me learn how to get along with everyone. A very rich history and a lot of really good people. Thanks for making and posting this video.

[bharris7899]

Great piece!!! I lived on Luzern and my grandmother on Broadway. I left in 1975 and until recently had only returned to visit family on occassion.

I worked at KZEN with "Stucky" and "Cool Papa Brown" while I was in H.S. at Seaside, what memories!!!! The face of the city has changed along with the demographics, but the legacy of the many families that made their homes there and paved the way for the success that we offspring experience today, lives on!!!

My heartfelt thanks!!!

[Brngr0fOwnage]

Douglas, 1979