As smoke rose into the sky at dusk, Adonis and Denise Jones hastily packed some belongings and left their Altadena, California home last week, expecting that firefighters would eventually contain the Eaton Fire and that they would return within a few days. Their house, bought by Denise’s parents in the 1960s, was part of a significant wave of African American homeowners and entrepreneurs who found acceptance and affordable living in this hillside community, establishing it as one of the first Black middle-class neighborhoods in Los Angeles County.

Many family members followed suit, passing down homes through generations as California’s real estate market thrived. However, the Eaton Fire, part of a series of devastating wildfires that struck the county at the start of last week, has shattered the foundation of their community. Rochele Jones, their 42-year-old daughter, shared that her parents and other relatives lost over a dozen homes in Altadena.

“It’s heart-wrenching,” she expressed. “You had family nearby, and whenever issues arose, you could count on them for support. I’ve never experienced a situation where everyone lost everything all at once.”

With much of the 43,000-strong community devastated, many are questioning whether Altadena can regain the diverse character and historic Black heritage that previously defined it. In the ashes of family homes, businesses, and landmarks, some worry that the spirit of Altadena may be irretrievably lost.

There are initiatives underway aiming to prevent such a loss. Two prominent African American law firms have teamed up with California’s Prince Hall Masons to create a GoFundMe campaign aimed at supporting Black residents displaced by the Eaton Fire. The focus is on those at greatest risk, filling financial gaps left by federal aid.

“This community has a significant African American demographic,” noted James Bryant, a partner at The Cochran Firm in Los Angeles. “There are many elderly homeowners on fixed incomes whose insurance is being canceled. If we don’t raise awareness, they may be forgotten.”

In total, the Southern California fires have resulted in 25 fatalities and caused damage to more than 12,000 properties along the Pacific Coast and in the San Gabriel Mountains region.

Hundreds of Black families in Altadena are setting up GoFundMe pages to seek financial help; however, many older residents are unfamiliar with such fundraising methods, Bryant added. “They represent our most vulnerable community members. We want to preserve Altadena as a close-knit African American haven.”

He emphasized that while the immediate objective is to provide necessary assistance, organizers aim to establish longer-term partnerships to revitalize the area and safeguard residents from opportunistic real estate developers.

“Some individuals have already been approached about selling their homes, which is very upsetting,” remarked community advocate Jasmyne Cannick. “There are buyers waiting in the shadows. We want to ensure that residents aren’t deceived into relinquishing their properties.”

Several employees of The Cochran Firm have also lost homes to the fire, reflecting the widespread impact on the community and their networks.

“There will be emotional wounds,” Bryant lamented. “For African Americans who purchased homes in the ’50s and ’60s, it was a source of immense pride. To pass down their legacy and see it flourish over generations, only to have it destroyed in an instant—it transcends mere rebuilding. It’s about the loss of cherished memories. It’s painful.”

The development of a Black community stronghold

The Black community in Altadena began to emerge in the 1920s and 1930s, as families sought refuge from the discrimination prevalent in the Jim Crow South during the Great Migration.

“Altadena was one of the first neighborhoods in Los Angeles County that welcomed Black families,” stated Bryant. “This is why we see so many multi-generational families making their homes here.”

Notable figures who have lived in the area include actor Sidney Poitier, who rented there during the filming of the 1963 film “Lilies of the Field”; Lt. O. Oliver Goodall, a former Tuskegee Airman involved in a 1945 civil rights initiative; and abolitionist Ellen Garrison Jackson Clark, who was interred in Altadena’s Mountain View Cemetery alongside prominent figures like science-fiction writer Octavia Butler and activist Eldridge Cleaver.

Until the 1960s, Altadena remained predominantly white, largely due to historical racial covenants, according to nonprofit organization Altadena Heritage.

The area began to evolve following the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. White families started relocating, influenced by freeway construction, air pollution, and societal changes such as the civil rights movement and school desegregation, resulting in a population drop from 95% white in 1980 to 49%. Meanwhile, Black residents surged from less than 4% to 43% during the same period, as professionals and working-class families sought affordable housing in Altadena.

“Neighborhoods like Altadena and certain parts of Compton and South Central Los Angeles were often the only options for Black families,” pointed out Bryant. “Altadena was slightly further away but provided affordable housing and opportunities for Black businesses. Families could raise their children in a community where they felt safe and supported.”

The community they established was inherited by their descendants, with homes that grew in value alongside California’s real estate market. Today, Altadena stands as one of the most diverse areas in Southern California, with over 20% of its population identifying as Black and a homeownership rate exceeding 75%.

“It was a joyful place, surrounded by beautiful mountains,” reflected Carl Jones, 55, who has worked for the Pasadena parks department for 25 years. “We worked hard to earn our homes. It was a Black community—not wealthy, but thriving.”

The home where Jones lived with his mother, jazz singer Cheryl Conley, was lost to the Eaton fire. Conley is currently staying with a friend in Los Angeles, while Jones is in a hotel, uncertain of his next steps.

When Conley first moved to nearby Pasadena in the 1950s, she was sent to private school in Altadena, as Catholic schools in Pasadena would not accept Black students at that time. Her father, Brit Conley, was a Navy veteran present at Pearl Harbor during the attack in 1941, which led the U.S. into World War II.

In the late 1990s, Conley purchased their home for a fraction of today’s market prices. However, as Jones stated, the true value lay not just in the house, but in the close-knit community.

“It was about the neighbors,” he emphasized. “We had a strong bond. We looked out for each other.”

Adonis Jones (unrelated) agreed, stating, “Everyone knew everyone. Most of us graduated from the same high school.”

or church. We frequented the same markets.

According to Carl Jones, that feeling of community and legacy is “lost forever. You can only acquire that through time. If we leave, it’s finished. It will never happen again.”

He had seen news coverage of the fires but hadn’t initially felt there was a cause for concern. Fires typically occurred in the hills, not in lower Altadena.

When Conley woke him up at 3 a.m., 90 minutes before his scheduled alarm for work, to inform him that she and his sister were evacuating, he felt uncertain. However, by the time he got out of bed 90 minutes later, smoke enveloped the area, and he could see flames down the street.

“I never imagined it would reach this far,” he remarked. “We’re not located in the mountains.”

He grabbed a hose and began drenching the roof and garage. A firefighter advised him to evacuate the area immediately.

“I thought, I’m going to save it,” he recalled. “Then suddenly, the house across the street ignited.”

With his phone nearly out of battery, he went to the garage to charge it for a moment; when he came back out a few minutes later, flames had engulfed the garage. Upset, he called Conley and told her he couldn’t save the house.

He entered the house, hastily packed a small bag of clothes, and on his way out, he managed to save one final item at his mother’s request – a framed Navy photo of her father from the wall.

‘Altadena is not for sale’

The first identified victim of the Southern California fires was 66-year-old Victor Shaw, whose family told KTLA-TV he perished with a garden hose in hand, trying to combat the flames. They had urged him to evacuate with the family after the evacuation orders were issued, but he declined.

Bryant, from the Cochran Law Firm, expressed understanding of that feeling after discussing it with local residents that day and having to strongly convince some to evacuate.

“People often say, you can rebuild, or at least be grateful you survived, but these homes represented people’s lives,” he stated. “They were filled with memories and the essence of families, all of which took generations to establish.”

In recent years, several insurance companies have ceased offering fire coverage in Altadena. Carl Jones mentioned he had not heard back from his insurance provider, but he understands that recovery requires external assistance.

“We’ve already received offers to sell,” he stated. “But we’re determined to stay. Even if it means living in a tent on the property, we’re not going anywhere. This is ours.”

Adonis Jones shared that his daughter Rochele has been assisting him with navigating the complexities of insurance and federal aid, even setting up a GoFundMe page for their expenses.

While he and his wife intend to participate in an upcoming town hall meeting for local Black residents, he is concerned that many might lack the resources to remain in Altadena.

“I’m anxious,” Adonis Jones commented. “Some individuals may be intimidated and accept a low offer. People will attempt to buy you out for a fraction of what it’s worth.”

This week, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order aimed at safeguarding victims of the fire crisis from exploitative land speculators making aggressive and unsolicited cash offers to buy their properties.

“Altadena is not for sale,” Rochele Jones declared. “I know some might be frightened and grab the money. However, many who are currently struggling are accustomed to hardship, and they will hold on.”