Black Community Opinions
L.A. Historic Black Community Among Casualties Of Wildfires
The Eaton Canyon fires in Los Angeles County have devastated Altadena, a historic Black community rooted in the Civil Rights Movement. Over 1,000 structures, including Black-owned homes and businesses, were lost, leaving families grappling with displacement and fears of gentrification.
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By Stacy M. Brown
Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
NNPA Newswire
As flames tore through the picturesque foothills of Altadena and Pasadena on January 7, 2025, the Eaton Canyon fires left a historic Black community – rooted in the Civil Rights Movement – nearly wiped out. Among the hardest-hit areas in Los Angeles County, Altadena has seen its many Black-owned homes, churches, businesses, and landmarks reduced to ashes.
The unincorporated community in the San Gabriel Valley, home to 42,000 residents, has long stood as a beacon of Black homeownership and middle-class stability. With 18 percent of its population identifying as Black, Altadena also hosts a diverse community that includes Latino and Asian American residents. Tragically, the Eaton Fire alone destroyed over 1,000 structures.
Also,, killed at least five residents in Altadena and displaced thousands.
“Obviously it’s been a tough couple of days, but our family is making it through,” Los Angeles Sentinel Publisher Danny Bakewell Jr. said in a text to NNPA. “Both my girlfriend & my son lost their homes & the devastation is unreal for so many families -a lot of Black folks.”
Jamal-Dominique Hopkins, a native of Altadena, lost his beloved childhood home on Loma Alta Drive to the blaze. His mother, Ruthie Hopkins, 81, and his son, Joshua, narrowly escaped thanks to the swift actions of Hopkins’ older brother, who evacuated them to safety.
Hopkins described the devastation in a GoFundMe post, writing, “This isn’t just a loss for our family; it’s a loss for a community that has thrived despite challenges.”
Ruthie Hopkins, the former editor and co-owner of The Pasadena Journal, a Black-owned newspaper, has been a cornerstone of the community for decades. The newspaper is a member of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents the Black Press of America and is celebrating its 198th anniversary in March.
The fire also destroyed the family’s SUV, which was vital for Ruthie’s medical appointments. Now, she and Joshua are left with only the clothes they wore when escaping.
A Legacy Reduced to Ashes
Altadena’s Black community flourished during the Civil Rights Movement, growing from 4 percent of the population in 1960 to 27 percent by 1970, following the passage of the Fair Housing Act in 1968. It became a haven for Black families seeking to escape discrimination elsewhere, offering homeownership opportunities unavailable in most parts of the country.
Before the fire, Altadena boasted a Black homeownership rate of 81.5 percent, nearly double the national average for African-Americans. Families like Kenneth Snowden’s embodied this legacy. Snowden’s family purchased their first Altadena home in 1962, and nearly 20 years ago, Snowden bought his own home in the area. Both properties were destroyed in the fire.
Only the bell tower remains at Altadena Baptist. The Rev. George Van Alstine is helping church members navigate the challenges of insurance claims and federal aid. He fears the destruction will lead to gentrification, pushing out long-standing Black residents.
“We’re seeing families who may have to leave because rebuilding here will be too expensive,” he said.
The destruction in Altadena mirrors the broader devastation caused by the wildfires sweeping Los Angeles County. Across the region, more than 12,300 structures have been destroyed, and at least 24 lives have been lost. Economic losses are estimated between $250 billion and $275 billion, making this disaster one of the costliest in U.S. history.
Much of the media coverage has focused on celebrity mansions and wealthy neighborhoods, but Altadena’s plight highlights the profound impact on middle-class communities of color. Residents returned to find homes passed down through generations reduced to rubble.
The community and its allies have rallied to provide relief in response to the devastation. James Bryant, a partner at the Cochran Firm, organized a GoFundMe campaign with support from Ivie McNeil Wyatt Purcell and Diggs, the Prince Hall Masons, and community advocate Jasmyne Cannick. The campaign has raised nearly $100,000 to assist Black residents of Pasadena and Altadena.
“The loss of a home is about more than property. It’s the loss of memories, mementos, and generational pride,” Bryant said.

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