Beach access remains one of the most segregated areas of public accommodation in the U.S.
Beaches are, in theory, open to all under the Public Accommodation Law of 1964. Congress and state governments have ruled that the Public Trust Doctrine means that the shore is owned by the people. Yet beach access is unavailable for many Black Americans.
Access to beaches is something white Americans take for granted. In New Jersey, where I live, we have all heard many a white co-worker say, “We’re taking the family down the shore” for the weekend. We can only dream. Is it safe? Are their people like me? Can I play my music?
What they mean is that they have a connection, or a deal, for some beach time in a place where Black people cannot go. Blacks must rely on public beaches with transportation or parking, such as Jones Beach, Sandy Hook, or Coney Island. Some Black people have given up on trying to go to the beach in the U.S. and travel to places in the Caribbean, like Puerto Rico, for beach access.
Municipalities continue to restrict access through “custom,” such as high fees, limited access, limited parking, general unfriendliness, or outright intimidation—as recently as five years ago, I was called the n-word while playing miniature golf with my kids at a lily-white beach town in New Jersey.
Taxpayer funding supports beaches
Many U.S. beaches are funded, nourished, and protected through federal and state taxpayer dollars, not just local taxes. Yet most beach access is for local people in an area who own or rent property in a given area.
There are many examples of federal and state spending on local beaches. Beach replenishment is done by the Army Corps of Engineers, state Environmental Protection Agencies (EPAs) measure water quality and look for needles and red tides. Shark sightings are a state responsibility and high surf warnings come from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. And Congress and the Supreme Court ruled long ago that beaches are a natural resource that belongs to everyone. Black tax dollars are going to support these beaches, yet Black people cannot go there.
What can you do?
- Go to a Black beach. Get food and ice cream.
- Go to the local beach. The more Black people who show up and spend money, the more open beaches will be.
- Go to the beach, in general. If you have never been, what are you waiting for?
- Show up at a white beach—80% will ignore you, 10% will be hostile, and 10% will come over and talk.
- Learn to swim or wade, or fake it—the water is great.
- Play sports on the beach like football, soccer, frisbee, or that paddle thing.
- Call your state representative. Call, don’t write. Have your rep on speed dial. Beaches are controlled locally, but they are governed by the state. In the age of the internet, email is not taken seriously. A real call makes all the difference.
We all deserve access to a beach
Access to recreation is our birthright as citizens. And that includes beach access. Beaches also serve a unique purpose: They are a “public forum” guaranteed by the First Amendment. In real life, the beach is a rare place where everyone—Black, white, or Latino; rich or poor; new immigrant or seventh generation—can mix with the sole purpose of doing … absolutely nothing! There are few greater joys than lying in the sun, taking a dip in the ocean, or watching kids collect shells while running from the waves. The joy of the beach should be accessible to all.
Beach access is a great measure of our democracy. It is something we all deserve.
Chris Lee is the founder of the Black Economics and Business (BEBN) website, https://blackeconbiz.com, which is designed to promote Black economic success and happiness.