The History of Sun Village, California
Sun Village is a town in the Antelope Valley of Los Angeles County, California (Originally named Western Mojave Desert, California by the Natives) where Indigenous peoples were forced to live by way of a now unconstitutional practice known as Red Lining. The area once known as Littlerock was renamed Sun Village in 1939 when it was established. A small area south of Sun Village is still Littlerock with a population of approximately 1,200+.
Founded by Indigenous American's who were discriminated against and not allowed to purchase homes in cities like Los Angeles, Palmdale and Lancaster. Surrounding areas considered Sun Village to be the poor part because it was underdeveloped.
The principal founder of Sun Village is Melvin Ray Grubbs. Many news articles describe him as a "Black Lawyer turned Real Estate investor from Chicago who purchased the land from a white family in 1938. However, genealogy records show that he was born in the Oklahomah Cherokee Nation, Township 27 in the year 1900. He later moved to Chicago in the late 1920's where he obtained a Law degree and became a Real Estate Agent and then Real Estate Broker. He then moved to California to establish Sun Village.
Many people were ashamed to say they lived in Sun Village and many people will be surprised to know who lived in Sun Village. The Antelope Valley has been known to be a hot bed for racial tensions and the people of Sun Village have suffered a plethora of human rights violations. Original maps show Sun Village to be 20+ square miles. Online maps have recently change their calculations from 4.7 square miles to 10 square miles. Outside entities continue to try to erase Sun Village off California map.
Due to the lack of pride in ownership and feeling ashamed to be called a Villager (a term that the original people of Sun Village Self-Identify as), the majority of the original Villager's left to live in other cities where there was less racial tension.
Today's population is ~ 12,000+. According to the the U.S. Census, of that amount, only about 10% are indigenous to Sun Village and the other 90% of its residents are from various nationalities, mainly Caucasian and Hispanic. Now, numbers have been changed to reflect that 58% of Sun Village is Indigenous (so-called African American). See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Village,_California
ENCROACHMENT
The majority of the residents within the boundaries of Sun Village claim they live in Littlerock, California which according to the 2010 census has a population of 1,200. Another large percentage claim they live in Palmdale another percentage say that they live in Lake Los Angeles. The Red Lining still continues accept that it appears to be in reverse. Now Real Estate agents along with other Los Angeles County entities allow for deeds to be changed once a property is sold in Sun Village to the above named areas.
Sun Village's Post Office was burned down and ever since, the people of Sun Village have been receiving their mail late or not at all because it is routed to the Littlerock Post Office. Many still have deeds that say their property is in Sun Village but only receive mail if it has the name of one of the neighboring cities.
A river once ran through Sun Village but it was dried out by cement being poured into the river and the water was redirected to service other areas. The water being rerouted has caused an increase in water bills sometimes hundreds of dollars more.
There are many other human rights violations that are occurring on the land of Sun Village and its Town Council has received very little aid or assistance from State, County or Local governments. If aid does come, it comes with a compromise. Usually for the County of Los Angeles to assume jurisdiction over the area. The people of Sun Village are fighting from being wiped off the map. Many complaints have been ignored and less are now willing to speak out for fear of losing what little they have.
SUN VILLAGE RENAISSANCE
On August 27th, 2018, the Sun Village Town Council installed new officers. They were sworn in by Charles Bostwick, the liaison to the Los Angeles County Supervisor, Kathryn Barger under the direction of Sun Village's former Mayor, Magdalene Lawrence.. The new officers have pledged to uphold the By-Laws of the Sun Village Town Council and to execute them fairly and justly.
One of the first things voted on was to acknowledge Indigenous Peoples Day during October that was formally celebrated as Columbus Day. And to further show support and aid to the Indigenous and Aboriginal peoples of the areas was the Sun Village Town Councils adoption of the United Nations-Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the equivalent A-DRIP from the Organization of American States as a guideline to aid and assist Indigenous peoples in the Antelope Valley.
Upon investigating Red Lining in the area, the Sun Village Town Council saw evidence of it still being present. The Red Lining today is to keep an Indigenous population designated as African American from owning property in Sun Village. Those who do become owners are having their deeds filed in the name of other neighboring towns.
Mayor, Ansar El Muhammad has established an E-Residency program for those desiring to be stakeholders and to help bring more support and awareness to Sun Village. The E-Residency program will allow people to invest, vote and establish business in Sun Village from supporters all over the world.
As of November 2022, the Town of Sun Village has been operating a Plebiscite to address the denationalization, acts of genocide and systemic racism towards its Indigenous population. Sun Village is leading the cause for Self-Administered Reparations in California.
To take it a step further, the Sun Village Town Council voted to reorganize Sun Village into a Tribal Township. Our studies have shown that the original intent of the principal founder of Sun Village was to protect its inhabitants similar to the way his family was protected in his home town.
Chief Melvin Ray Grubbs, was born in the year 1900 in Oklahoma, Cherokee Indian Township #27. By the time he was 21, the town a couple of hours north of his township was bombed and burned to the ground. The 1921 genocide of the people of Tulsa, Oklahoma (Black Wall Str.) is rumored to be just 1 of the 91 Black towns in North America. It wasn't until 1927 that the Indian Citizenship Act became law that outlines how Indigenous people can take positions in local government without compromising their indigenous status.
Melvin Ray Grubbs moved to Chicago, Illinois in the 1930's. He became a Real Estate Agent and Broker then obtained a law degree at University of Illinois Chicago. By 1939, his first purchased was 1,000 hectors of Littlerock, California and renamed it Sun Village. All of this was done to protect his people with what he knew about Real Estate, Law and his home town.
By 1944, he had wells dug throughout the town and established the Sun Village Water and Improvement Company, Sun Village Energy and Sun Village Inc.. As the he continued to build the town, the people were being coerced into integration by the mid 1950's.
Martin Luther King Jr. was leading the call to integrate into the segregated areas of North America. He did not advocate for his people to be autonomous and was able to influence most of Black America. Another advocate for integration was baseball legend, Jacky Robinson. He was in Negro League Baseball who crossed over and became the first Negro to play for Major League Baseball. He was also able to get a park establish in his name in Sun Village. Jacky Robinson had been trying to get a park in Sun Village for 6 years prior to Jacky Robinson Park being established in 1965.
The assassination of Malcolm X in the same year of Jacky Robinson Park was a major influence on the decision for the people of Sun Village to integrate. Malcolm X was the main public advocate for Black people to stay working towards autonomy. When he was assassinated, it discouraged his people and what Martin Luther King Jr. and Jacky Robinson were advocating seemed like a better political option.
In 1964, the Civil Rights Act was passed. Although it appeared to be a good thing, many have seen that it was a compromise of Human Rights. Even Martin Luthor King, before he was assassinated said, he fears that he integrated his people into a burning house.
It wasn't before long that the people began to forget about Melvin Ray Grubbs and by 1986, Sun Village Inc was willingly dissolved by Winona Hookstraten who died 3 years later. No one has revealed why Winona Hookstraten went before the superior courts to dissolve the main entity that represented Sun Village. We do know that there has ben numerous attempts to destroy Sun Village and the dissolving of Sun Village Inc., and the liquidation of its assets is more evidence.
Chief Melvin Ray Grubbs was born on an Indian Township in Oklahoma. These townships were set up to give indigenous peoples plots of land after displacing them after stealing their original territories (Trail of Tears). Indian Townships did have a little more protections for indigenous peoples than those living in or near the major incorporated cities. Its no wonder why We find tribal influence in the founding of Sun Village.
By the Sun Village Town Council reorganizing Sun Village into a Tribal Township, We offer many more protections than the old Indian Townships. Many more laws have passed that protect indigenous people today and Sun Village is the first town to declare rights for the indigenous peoples of Sun Village.
Founded by Indigenous American's who were discriminated against and not allowed to purchase homes in cities like Los Angeles, Palmdale and Lancaster. Surrounding areas considered Sun Village to be the poor part because it was underdeveloped.
The principal founder of Sun Village is Melvin Ray Grubbs. Many news articles describe him as a "Black Lawyer turned Real Estate investor from Chicago who purchased the land from a white family in 1938. However, genealogy records show that he was born in the Oklahomah Cherokee Nation, Township 27 in the year 1900. He later moved to Chicago in the late 1920's where he obtained a Law degree and became a Real Estate Agent and then Real Estate Broker. He then moved to California to establish Sun Village.
Many people were ashamed to say they lived in Sun Village and many people will be surprised to know who lived in Sun Village. The Antelope Valley has been known to be a hot bed for racial tensions and the people of Sun Village have suffered a plethora of human rights violations. Original maps show Sun Village to be 20+ square miles. Online maps have recently change their calculations from 4.7 square miles to 10 square miles. Outside entities continue to try to erase Sun Village off California map.
Due to the lack of pride in ownership and feeling ashamed to be called a Villager (a term that the original people of Sun Village Self-Identify as), the majority of the original Villager's left to live in other cities where there was less racial tension.
Today's population is ~ 12,000+. According to the the U.S. Census, of that amount, only about 10% are indigenous to Sun Village and the other 90% of its residents are from various nationalities, mainly Caucasian and Hispanic. Now, numbers have been changed to reflect that 58% of Sun Village is Indigenous (so-called African American). See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Village,_California
ENCROACHMENT
The majority of the residents within the boundaries of Sun Village claim they live in Littlerock, California which according to the 2010 census has a population of 1,200. Another large percentage claim they live in Palmdale another percentage say that they live in Lake Los Angeles. The Red Lining still continues accept that it appears to be in reverse. Now Real Estate agents along with other Los Angeles County entities allow for deeds to be changed once a property is sold in Sun Village to the above named areas.
Sun Village's Post Office was burned down and ever since, the people of Sun Village have been receiving their mail late or not at all because it is routed to the Littlerock Post Office. Many still have deeds that say their property is in Sun Village but only receive mail if it has the name of one of the neighboring cities.
A river once ran through Sun Village but it was dried out by cement being poured into the river and the water was redirected to service other areas. The water being rerouted has caused an increase in water bills sometimes hundreds of dollars more.
There are many other human rights violations that are occurring on the land of Sun Village and its Town Council has received very little aid or assistance from State, County or Local governments. If aid does come, it comes with a compromise. Usually for the County of Los Angeles to assume jurisdiction over the area. The people of Sun Village are fighting from being wiped off the map. Many complaints have been ignored and less are now willing to speak out for fear of losing what little they have.
SUN VILLAGE RENAISSANCE
On August 27th, 2018, the Sun Village Town Council installed new officers. They were sworn in by Charles Bostwick, the liaison to the Los Angeles County Supervisor, Kathryn Barger under the direction of Sun Village's former Mayor, Magdalene Lawrence.. The new officers have pledged to uphold the By-Laws of the Sun Village Town Council and to execute them fairly and justly.
One of the first things voted on was to acknowledge Indigenous Peoples Day during October that was formally celebrated as Columbus Day. And to further show support and aid to the Indigenous and Aboriginal peoples of the areas was the Sun Village Town Councils adoption of the United Nations-Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the equivalent A-DRIP from the Organization of American States as a guideline to aid and assist Indigenous peoples in the Antelope Valley.
Upon investigating Red Lining in the area, the Sun Village Town Council saw evidence of it still being present. The Red Lining today is to keep an Indigenous population designated as African American from owning property in Sun Village. Those who do become owners are having their deeds filed in the name of other neighboring towns.
Mayor, Ansar El Muhammad has established an E-Residency program for those desiring to be stakeholders and to help bring more support and awareness to Sun Village. The E-Residency program will allow people to invest, vote and establish business in Sun Village from supporters all over the world.
As of November 2022, the Town of Sun Village has been operating a Plebiscite to address the denationalization, acts of genocide and systemic racism towards its Indigenous population. Sun Village is leading the cause for Self-Administered Reparations in California.
To take it a step further, the Sun Village Town Council voted to reorganize Sun Village into a Tribal Township. Our studies have shown that the original intent of the principal founder of Sun Village was to protect its inhabitants similar to the way his family was protected in his home town.
Chief Melvin Ray Grubbs, was born in the year 1900 in Oklahoma, Cherokee Indian Township #27. By the time he was 21, the town a couple of hours north of his township was bombed and burned to the ground. The 1921 genocide of the people of Tulsa, Oklahoma (Black Wall Str.) is rumored to be just 1 of the 91 Black towns in North America. It wasn't until 1927 that the Indian Citizenship Act became law that outlines how Indigenous people can take positions in local government without compromising their indigenous status.
Melvin Ray Grubbs moved to Chicago, Illinois in the 1930's. He became a Real Estate Agent and Broker then obtained a law degree at University of Illinois Chicago. By 1939, his first purchased was 1,000 hectors of Littlerock, California and renamed it Sun Village. All of this was done to protect his people with what he knew about Real Estate, Law and his home town.
By 1944, he had wells dug throughout the town and established the Sun Village Water and Improvement Company, Sun Village Energy and Sun Village Inc.. As the he continued to build the town, the people were being coerced into integration by the mid 1950's.
Martin Luther King Jr. was leading the call to integrate into the segregated areas of North America. He did not advocate for his people to be autonomous and was able to influence most of Black America. Another advocate for integration was baseball legend, Jacky Robinson. He was in Negro League Baseball who crossed over and became the first Negro to play for Major League Baseball. He was also able to get a park establish in his name in Sun Village. Jacky Robinson had been trying to get a park in Sun Village for 6 years prior to Jacky Robinson Park being established in 1965.
The assassination of Malcolm X in the same year of Jacky Robinson Park was a major influence on the decision for the people of Sun Village to integrate. Malcolm X was the main public advocate for Black people to stay working towards autonomy. When he was assassinated, it discouraged his people and what Martin Luther King Jr. and Jacky Robinson were advocating seemed like a better political option.
In 1964, the Civil Rights Act was passed. Although it appeared to be a good thing, many have seen that it was a compromise of Human Rights. Even Martin Luthor King, before he was assassinated said, he fears that he integrated his people into a burning house.
It wasn't before long that the people began to forget about Melvin Ray Grubbs and by 1986, Sun Village Inc was willingly dissolved by Winona Hookstraten who died 3 years later. No one has revealed why Winona Hookstraten went before the superior courts to dissolve the main entity that represented Sun Village. We do know that there has ben numerous attempts to destroy Sun Village and the dissolving of Sun Village Inc., and the liquidation of its assets is more evidence.
Chief Melvin Ray Grubbs was born on an Indian Township in Oklahoma. These townships were set up to give indigenous peoples plots of land after displacing them after stealing their original territories (Trail of Tears). Indian Townships did have a little more protections for indigenous peoples than those living in or near the major incorporated cities. Its no wonder why We find tribal influence in the founding of Sun Village.
By the Sun Village Town Council reorganizing Sun Village into a Tribal Township, We offer many more protections than the old Indian Townships. Many more laws have passed that protect indigenous people today and Sun Village is the first town to declare rights for the indigenous peoples of Sun Village.