Racist Trees

The historically Black neighborhood of Crossley Tract sits inside a small corner of an affluent city in California known as Palm Springs. The two areas are separated by towering 60-foot Tamarisk trees, which are a point of frustration and animosity for residents who regard them as an enduring symbol of racism. Flanking the property lines of Crossley Tract residents and the municipal golf course since the late 1950s, some believe the trees were intentionally planted to exclude and segregate the neighborhood. 

When an activist campaigns for the removal of the trees, the history of racial tension in the city comes to light. Much of Palm Springs inhabits Indigenous land, and the Agua Caliente tribe rented land to Black and Latino families who were discriminated against elsewhere in the city. After the land gained value, residents were forcibly displaced throughout the 1950s and ‘60s as the local government set fire to homes without providing a place to relocate. Many families had no choice but to take up residence just outside city limits or leave town altogether. A few families found refuge in Crossley Tract.

Some locals today oppose the tree removal, denying any racial animus. Other residents have spent decades battling with the tangled overgrowth from this invasive species, categorized as a threat by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. When the conflict makes headlines, a firestorm of local politics and international media puts into question the progressive reputation of Palm Springs.