Compton, California, a city often mentioned in popular culture, especially in music and film, is located in Southern California. More specifically, Compton is situated in the southern region of Los Angeles County. This places it within the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, a sprawling urban landscape in California. Founded in 1867, Compton holds a significant place in American urban history, evolving from its early days as an agricultural community to a bustling, diverse city grappling with social and economic changes.
Initially established by thirty pioneer families under the leadership of Griffith Dickenson Compton, the city quickly took his name. For many decades, Compton presented itself as a desirable middle-class suburb, characterized by affordable housing and a predominantly white population. In fact, prior to World War II, Compton was overwhelmingly white, with approximately 95% of its residents identifying as such. This demographic homogeneity was maintained through discriminatory practices, including racially restrictive covenants adopted in 1921. These covenants, alongside actions by civic leaders, real estate agents, and law enforcement, effectively barred African Americans and other people of color from living in Compton.
However, the demographic landscape of Compton began to shift dramatically in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Post-World War II, many African American families from south central Los Angeles experienced economic advancement and sought better housing opportunities. Capitalizing on the 1948 Supreme Court ruling that outlawed racially restrictive covenants, they started purchasing homes in Compton. This influx of Black families was not always met with welcome; some faced hostility, vandalism, and intimidation as they integrated into previously all-white neighborhoods.
By the mid-1950s, “white flight” became a pronounced phenomenon in Compton. Fueled by real estate brokers who preyed on racial anxieties and fears of declining property values, white families rapidly departed as the city became more racially diverse. The statistics illustrate this dramatic shift: in 1940, the Black population was a mere 5%, but by 1960, it had surged to 40%. The Watts Riots in Los Angeles in 1965 further accelerated both Black migration from Los Angeles and white flight from Compton, resulting in Compton becoming 65% African American by 1970.
Despite the growing Black population in the 1960s, political and law enforcement power remained largely in white hands initially. Nevertheless, African Americans began to make political inroads. A landmark moment arrived in 1969 with the election of Douglas Dollarhide as Compton’s first Black mayor, signaling a significant shift in the city’s power structure. By the 1980s, however, a more negative “ghetto” image of Compton began to emerge. Rising unemployment among Black men, reaching almost double the national average, contributed to economic hardship.
This economic downturn coincided with an increase in crime and the rise of notorious street gangs. The Crips gang originated in South Central Los Angeles in 1969, and the rival Bloods gang soon formed in Compton. The introduction of crack cocaine in the 1980s exacerbated gang violence and territorial disputes. In 1988, the Compton-based rap group NWA (N****s Wit’ Attitude) released their groundbreaking album Straight Outta Compton. This album, which vividly depicted gang life and police brutality, brought Compton international notoriety, associating the city with gangs and violence in the global consciousness.
Gang violence in Compton reached a peak in the aftermath of the 1992 riots following the Rodney King beating. However, by this time, middle-class Black families had also begun to leave the city, mirroring the earlier white flight but driven by different factors including seeking safer environments and new opportunities. Compton’s overall population decreased significantly by 2000, and Latinos became the majority demographic.
Today, while Latinos constitute the majority in Compton, political representation has lagged behind demographic change. A notable exception is Aja Brown, an African American woman who was elected mayor in 2013 and re-elected in 2017 at a young age of 31. While crime rates have decreased, Compton still faces significant challenges, including persistent unemployment and declining median income. The city’s journey reflects complex issues of race, urban development, and economic change in America, making Compton, California, a location with a rich and often turbulent history that continues to evolve.
